Nobody's Perfect
by TheRealRenee
Summary: Will years of friendship ever blossom into more? Lita, Edge, Christian, Jericho, Jeff, Matt, Trish, Stacy, Torrie, Stephanie, Test, Chyna, Vince, others. This is one of my first fics.
1. Chapter 1

_February 14, 2000 - RAW is WAR_

Amy Dumas was excited. She was going to be making her debut on RAW, the WWF's biggest prime time TV show. She had only started working for the company a week or so earlier and was nervous.

But the butterflies in her stomach were not just from jittery nerves, they were also from the delicious anticipation of being out there in front of "the thousands in attendance tonight and the millions watching at home" - as WCW and boxing announcer Michael Buffer always said.

After she finished lacing up her wrestling boots, she went out into the hall to wait for her friends Matt and Jeff Hardy. They went back a few years, to their indy days together. Amy was thrilled by the prospect of working in the same company with them again. Maybe sometime in the future, they would all be able to work together as a team.

"Hey, Amy." She looked up when she heard the voice. It was Jeff, and she smiled as she met his merry green eyes.

"Hey, Jeff." She reached out and ruffled his long hair, which was currently Manic Panic orange with slight traces of dark purple. He ducked away from her playful hand and she laughed. "Where's Matt?"

"Oh, he's talking with Drew - Test," he replied. "They were discussing the storyline Drew's gonna be involved in real soon. He'll catch up with us later."

"Okay, cool," Amy replied as they walked down the arena hallway together. Jeff and Matt had together and separately been introducing her to wrestlers all week. This evening, she would get to meet a lot more of their friends, since this was RAW, a much bigger show than the Sunday Night Heat taping she'd done the previous week.

"Come on," Jeff urged as he suddenly spotted a couple of friends she had yet to meet in the buffet room.

"Dude, this is going to be great," Jay Reso was saying to his best friend, Adam Copeland. He shoved a forkful of broccoli in his mouth and gestured with his fork as he spoke. "We always have fun wrestling against the Hardys. I'm really looking forward to _No Way Out_."

"I know, but don't you think it's time they let us feud with another team, Jay? It's always-"

"Well, speak of the devil..." Jay said, interrupting Adam, "...Well, _one _of them, at least."

Adam glanced over to where Jay was looking but was taken aback. Beside their friend Jeff Hardy was a gorgeous redhead clad in a skintight red outfit - obviously her ringside attire for the night. He let his eyes slowly scan her from head-to-toe and then back up again, drinking in her as she neared with Jeff. Adam's mouth suddenly went dry, and he couldn't take his eyes off the young woman.

"Hey, Adam, Jay," Jeff chirped. "I want you both to meet my friend Amy. Expect to see a lot of cool action from her real soon." He looked at the redhead with a grin. "Amy, these are a couple of friends of mine and Matt's. Jay and Adam." He gestured from one to the other as he introduced them.

"Nice to meet you, Amy," Jay said warmly with a smile and a nod as he shook her hand. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks," Amy replied. She turned to the taller of the two blond men.

"Hey," Adam said. He felt slightly at a loss for words. "Real nice to meet you." He too shook hands with the newcomer.

Beside him, Jay was unable to stop grinning. He had noticed Adam's inability to stop checking Amy out.

"Hey - Edge and Christian," Amy said with a smile that Adam noted went all the way up to her lovely eyes. "You guys do some fantastic moves in the ring."

"Thanks...We try," Adam said, flashing her a toothy grin. He had trouble shifting his eyes off her. She was incredibly beautiful, and he stared directly into her deep hazel eyes. She appeared to be completely unfazed by the intensity of his gaze, and in fact, Adam realized that she was looking at him just as intensely.

"Well," Jeff said after a few moments, "I've gotta get ready for our match..." He was to be competing in a triple threat contest against Edge and D-Von Dudley - the winner and his tag team partner would go on to face the New Age Outlaws for the Tag Team titles at _No Way Out_, that month's pay-per-view event. He gave Adam a meaningful look. "...you're already dressed for it, but I'm still in my street clothes, as you can plainly see."

"Always one to be fashionably late, huh, Jeff?" Jay joked.

"Unfortunately...Well, I'm gonna grab some food and see you guys later, okay?"

"Okay, later, Jeff..."

Amy gave Jay and then Adam each a smile and wave in turn and then joined her friend by the buffet table. Adam watched the redhead's every move, his emerald eyes drinking in her form appreciatively. While he watched her grab a Granny Smith apple, he leaned in closer to his best friend. "Looks like the WWF's newest femme fatale is nothing more than a pretty face and more T n' A," he said sotto voce.

"Excuse me??" Amy's face looked angry as she glared over at Adam, who was dumbfounded that she'd overheard him.

"How _dare _you! You don't know a _damn _thing about me!" she shouted as she marched over to stand in front of him while she gave him a piece of her mind. "You know what?" the young woman demanded, her voice rising with every word.

As Adam stared at her, he noted that her face was no less beautiful to him in her annoyance.

"I could say the same thing about you, pal...look at _your _pretty face! Maybe _you _are nothing more than T n' A! And at least _I_, unlike _you_, don't have blond hair to prove it!" She cast one last furious look at him before pivoting and storming out and down the hall.

"Amy, wait!" Jeff called, watching after the angry redhead. "That was just plain rude," he said, turning to glare at the taller blond. "Way to make a good first impression, Adam!" He ran out of the buffet room and took off after his friend.

Jay, who could no longer contain himself, burst out in hysterical laughter. Adam turned to glare at him. "What is your problem?"

"Oh, man! She sure gave it to you - she threw all your sexist, stereotypical words right back at you!" He covered his mouth with a hand in an attempt to stifle the uncontrollable laughter.

Adam was not amused. "Aw, shut up!" The truth was, he felt like complete shit for having said what he had. He'd never intended for Amy to hear what he had said to Jay.

"Oh, God! That blond crack she made was just hilarious! She really got you with that one!"

"Umm...newsflash, Jay - _you're _blond, too!" Adam yelled as he cupped his hands around his mouth.

Amy was still fuming when Jeff finally caught up to her in the hallway. The younger Hardy brother grabbed hold of her arm. "Amy, hold up!"

"I can't believe the nerve of that...that...that _blond bimbo!_" she cried, gesturing wildly. "I mean, this guy just met me! He doesn't even _know _me, and he's already chalking me up to be-"

"Amy, forget about it," Jeff cut in. "Adam's a good guy - he really is..."

"Yeah? You mean he isn't _always _a complete ass?"

"No...I promise," Jeff said, holding up one hand. "I'm sure he'll apologize to you later."

Amy pouted as she listened to her friend's words. She felt a myriad of emotions swirl through her at once, and not one of them was pleasant. She'd been insulted and felt angry and hurt because of it. She'd felt shocked as well, as the comments Adam had made had been totally unexpected. She had no tolerance for that kind of nonsense - she'd been unjustly and completely wrongly assessed by someone she'd just met. On top of all that, she felt horribly disappointed. This Adam Copeland had so taken her breath away. He was gorgeous, and she'd felt instantly attracted to him. But those good looks had pretty much no longer mattered to her when he'd made those insulting remarks. She actually felt like crying.

Amy wouldn't succumb to tears - not over something like this. She sucked it all in and eyed Jeff, as they were suddenly in front of the locker room he was sharing with Matt.

"Are you okay, Ames?"

"Yeah...of course," she responded. "Go get dressed...I'll see you later." She marched down the hall in the direction they'd come, leaving Jeff staring after her with concern.

--

Later that night, Amy was back in her hotel room relaxing instead of out at a club with Matt, Jeff and a group of their friends. She was pretty tired after her first RAW appearance, even though all she'd done was hurricanrana Crash Holly to the arena floor during Essa Rios' match.

Amy was just resting on the bed when she heard a knock at the door. She looked up, wondering who could be paying her a visit - it certainly couldn't be Matt or Jeff - those two wouldn't be back from hanging out at a club as early as ten past eleven. She set down the book she was reading to answer the door...

... And when she opened it, she was so surprised to see Adam Copeland, a single pink rose in hand, in her doorway. His handsome face looked full of humility as he looked directly down into her eyes. She forced herself to remember how the man had insulted and humiliated her only a few hours earlier.

"Yes? May I help you?" She rolled her eyes and attempted to close the door in his face.

Adam wedged his foot between the door and its jamb, literally preventing her from shutting him out.

"Amy...please," he said pleadingly. "Please hear me out."

She opened the door just slightly wider and stared out at him impatiently, one hand resting on the edge of the door frame.

As Adam gazed at her, he noted that she seemed to be dressed cozily and casually, her red hair damp and piled on top of her head in a ponytail. She was wearing a faded pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt with the band Tool's logo on it. She wore no makeup and looked fresh-faced, and she smelled wonderful as Adam inhaled the scent of her shampoo. He was happy to realize she was also a natural beauty.

"Well?" Amy demanded. "I don't have all night..."

"I know," Adam said. Nervously, he raked one hand through his mane of long golden hair, then looked her directly in the eye. "I am so sorry about earlier tonight...it was stupid and presumptuous of me to say what I said - or to even _think _it."

The redhead's facial expression did not change one iota.

Adam suddenly became aware that he was still holding the rose. He held it out to her.

"Here...this is for you."

Amy took it. "Thank you." She didn't move a muscle as she continued to glare at him.

Adam began to feel uncomfortable and even a bit stupid by her lack of response to his apology. "Err...well, I just wanted you to know I'm sorry," he stammered. "I really _am _sorry, and I promise I won't ever say anything like that about you again."

Amy continued to stare at him, unwavering for another moment, then finally sighed resignedly. "Okay...apology accepted."

"So, will you forgive me?" Adam asked hopefully.

Amy turned her eyes back toward him and subtly took in his appearance. He was wearing black jeans and a gray muscle T-shirt that clung to his chest and left nothing to her imagination. Then again, she didn't have to _imagine _what that looked like, since, unlike Jay, he didn't wear a shirt in the ring.

Finally, she spoke. "Okay...yeah, I forgive you." She chased her words with a small grin.

Adam was glad to see a smile on the redhead's face - a smile that _he'd _caused to form, at that.

"Do you want to come in for awhile?" Amy asked as she pulled the door open a little wider. "I wasn't doing anything - just reading."

The tall blond grinned at her. "Sure...I'd like that." He stepped in and she closed the door behind him.

Amy gestured to the small table one corner across the room, and Adam took the cue and sat down in one of the two matching chairs. Instead of taking the other, the redhead seated herself primly on the edge of the bed and quietly eyed the man in her room.

"I saw what you did tonight out there during Rios' match - pretty cool."

"Thanks."

"Where did you learn to do the hurricanrana?" Adam inquired. "I mean, usually when a woman in this company does that move, it's more or less really a Frankensteiner - the other person is sitting up on the turnbuckle, and then she climbs up after him and takes him down."

Amy wanted to interrupt him by rolling her eyes and saying, _"I know the difference between a hurricanrana and a Frankensteiner,"_ but she held her tongue. After all, he'd been man enough and _nice _enough to apologize to her, so she felt she ought to be nice. Instead, she rose and walked over to her suitcase, which was a few feet away from the bed.

"Hey, you want to see a really cool movie?"

Adam was confused. He'd just asked her a question and she was ignoring him and avoiding answering. Maybe she didn't know too much about wrestling after all. Maybe his rude remark about her wasn't quite so off the mark. He felt like a big jerk for thinking these things, but why else would she not respond?

"Yeah, sure...what movie do you have?"

Instead of replying, the redhead strode over to the TV and VCR, which were a couple of feet away from where Adam sat. She turned the set on and popped the videotape in the player, then sat back down on the edge of her bed, eyes glued to the television.

Adam didn't know what to expect and was suddenly surprised when he realized this was a wrestling video. A woman was in a ring against a man. After a beat, he turned to stare at Amy with surprise.

"Hey - that's _you_!"

"That's right," Amy acknowledged as she shifted her eyes to meet his. "And to spoil the surprise for you, I _won _that match." As the blond continued to study her with awe, she explained, "I'm a trained wrestler. I learned the basics with Matt and Jeff, which I'm sure they've told you, but it probably all went in one ear and out the other. Later, when I received formal training, I learned from Dory Funk's wrestling school - along with twenty-six men. I was the only girl in my class."

"Really?" Adam asked, his jaw dropped. "Wow!" He laughed sardonically. "Jeez, I sure had you all wrong tonight. Again, I'm really sorry for being such an ass."

Amy laughed heartily. She realized it was the first time since he'd come that she felt truly comfortable in his presence. "Good thing you didn't have a bet going with your friend Jay. You'd have lost!" She tucked a stray lock of auburn behind one ear.

Adam laughed along with her. He realized he loved the sound of her laughter. Was it possible that he and this beautiful young woman could become friends after all? He certainly hoped so.

They continued watching the video, which was a compilation mostly of Amy's earlier matches, including a couple of which from when she was still only training. Adam was simply in awe of this beautiful, amazing woman. She could perform just about any move he or any male wrestler in the WWF did on a regular basis. And here, he'd thought that Chyna was the only legit female wrestler in this company. He had a feeling that Amy had a lot more in her than what was captured on this tape.

"Wow," Adam breathed as the tape came to an end after showing a clever succession of clips of Amy performing the moonsault. "You're really amazing, Amy, absolutely ama-"

Adam cut his own sentence short as he suddenly noticed that the redhead was sound asleep, curled up in the fetal position on the right side of the bed. He smiled and tiptoed silently to the TV and VCR and shut them both off. Afterward, he moved closer to the bed and gently rearranged the blanket somewhat so that it was covering Amy. He dared to place one hand softly on her head and smoothed a lock of her auburn hair away from her face.

"Goodnight, Amy."

After that, he crept quietly to the door and let himself out.


	2. Chapter 2

_King of the Ring, Boston, June 25, 2000_

Adam grinned with excitement and anticipation as he and Jay were preparing for their upcoming match. They would be in a four corners contest against the current tag team champions, Too Cool, Trish Stratus' T&A (otherwise known as Test and Albert) and the Hardys. He was especially pleased about that last team, as Amy (also known as Lita) was now with them. It would be the second time she would be working with him, but it would be even better than the first time - because that last time, it had been a short match on SmackDown pitting Christian against Essa Rios for the Light Heavyweight title. This time around, Amy would be getting into the mix physically - with _Adam_.

Earlier that night, Adam had joked to Amy about being on the receiving end of one of her hurricanranas. She'd merely laughed and told him to just be ready for it.

And he was. He was excited at the prospect of working with her again. And he actually felt honored that he was going to be the recipient of one of her trademark moves.

Earlier that month, Adam had again been reminded of just how wrong he'd been about Amy's in-ring ability when she'd competed on SmackDown. The match had been a battle royal with five other divas, but it had been Amy's first match since being pummeled by powerhouse Chyna a month earlier in an angle in which she and Essa feuded against the Ninth Wonder of the World and Eddy Guerrero. While Amy hadn't gotten any "spots" working against Chyna, she'd positively sparkled in the battle royal. A high-flyer, Litahad managed to overcome the strength of Jacqueline and Ivory, and she'd outwrestled both women. After eliminating Jackie, it had come down to just her and Ivory. Adam had nearly lost his breath as he'd watched her perform a beautiful, perfectly executed moonsault from the top rope. Lita was declared the victor by Tori, the special referee. Afterward, Lita had gestured for Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, the current women's champion, as the match had been to determine the number one contender for the belt.

Although it had all been written into the script, Adam had winced and felt angry for Lita as she'd been blindsided by the Green Goddess. Tori, ever the Stephanie asskisser, then counted 1-2-3 as the boss' daughter pinned the redhead. What a joke.

Immediately after, as he'd watched Amy being interviewed by Kevin Kelly, Adam had smiled as he heard her words. Lita had vowed revenge on Stephanie, claiming that things weren't over between them. What a spitfire she was. He scanned his friend's shapely body with appreciation. She had recently taken to wearing her pants low, her thong showing. His grin grew as he recalled how this fashion statement had come to be.

_"Okay, I'm coming out now," Amy called from behind a dressing screen in her locker room._

_Adam, sitting on a chair on the other side of the small room, nodded. "Okay..."_

_As Amy stepped out from behind the screen, he had been unable to tear his eyes away from her. She was wearing a hot pink top that exposed her midriff and a pair of black cargo pants decorated with pink drawstring. The pants were slung quite low on her hips, and her pink thong showed over the top of them._

_"Well, what do you think?" Amy asked as she spun around, arms spread out._

_Adam was initially speechless. She looked absolutely, breathtakingly sexy. "Naughty" thoughts quickly soared through his brain as he continued to ogle her, his emerald eyes slowly scanning her from head to toe. God, but she was beautiful..._

_"You look awesome, Ames...I love that look. That's a nice touch, your thong showing," he finally spoke._

_Amy's expression transformed to one that looked to be a cross between disappointment and impatience. "Forget the thong - the pants??"_

_"Oh, those look cool, too...I totally like 'em. You look great."_

_Amy turned around, her back to him as she looked over her shoulder and down at the pants. "You really think the thong sticking out looks good?"_

_"Oh, yeah," Adam said, still appreciating her form to no end. He raised his eyes to meet hers as she spoke again._

_"Okay...thanks...This is my new look for the WWF." Her full lips stretched into a broad grin, causing Adam to smile as well._

"Hey, ready to go out there?" Jay asked, breaking through Adam's reverie. "We're next."

"Yeah, sure...I'm all ready," Adam replied as he buckled his trenchcoat. Underneath, he was wearing a New York Yankees jersey. Edge and Christian were supposed to poke fun at the Red Sox tonight, since they were in Boston - just another one of their silly 5-second poses. He was enjoying this current angle and he and Jay being allowed to act like a couple of goofy jackasses. Of course, these current Edge and Christian personas were a lot more like their real selves than the Brood had ever been.

Several minutes later, they were in the ring awaiting their three pairs of opponents. They stood there calmly, but inside, Adam was nearly bursting with excitement as the Hardy Boyz's music suddenly blared throughout the arena.

And then he saw Amy...

Walking out between the two brothers, the redhead was wearing a fuzzy hot pink tie-on top that revealed her belly and a good portion of back, her dark gray parachute pants slung low as per her new trademark, her thong clearly showing. Adam could not take his eyes off her.

"Wow..." he uttered, mesmerized. He suddenly felt Jay elbow him in the side and looked at his best friend questioningly. Jay didn't say anything and just smirked at him.

The match was going well. It was non-stop action, the two women getting involved as well. Amy had attacked Trish, knocking her down with a clothesline from behind, after the petite blonde Canadian tried to distract Matt. This had taken place in Adam and Jay's corner. Afterward, Adam noticed that she'd opted to stand there for a few minutes. In a way, he considered that a good thing, but on the other hand, he also thought it was a bad thing - because he could no longer look at her easily from this vantage point.

At this point, she was up on the apron, almost right next to him as she complained to the referee about more interference. Test, better known out of the squared circle as Andrew Martin, came over and grabbed her. Lita squealed and slapped the big man across the face, running for cover as he dropped her. Adam was amused. She could obviously hold her own - in or out of the ring.

T&A were the first to be eliminated in the match after Albert failed to squash Jeff, who had moved away from the corner just in time. The rainbow-haired man then executed a Swanton bomb to the fallen Test, who was pinned.

Adam and Jay finally saw some action soon after, when Scotty 2 Hotty did a moonwalk into their corner. Christian, ever an opportunist, blind-tagged his way in, and Edge followed a moment later to help his brother.

Adam knew exactly when his favorite spot in the match was coming. Melee had ensued between Edge and Christian and the Hardys. While Jay was out on the arena floor battling both North Carolinians, Adam stood and stumbled near the far corner. He had to play oblivious and pretend not to notice Amy perched on the top turnbuckle. Seconds later, her legs were wrapped around his neck as she took him down with a hurricanrana. Because she did it so extremely gently, as if afraid he would break like a fragile piece of china, Adam added a couple of his own extra tumbles to sell the move. He had to bite his tongue to keep back the grin that was threatening to come to his face. What a rush _that _had been.

Not much later, he was sorry to see the Hardys go - actually, he was sorry to see _Amy _go - when the Boyz were eliminated. As they were departing, the redhead even pointed back at Adam and mouthed something to him. He couldn't be completely sure, but he thought she'd said, "See you later."

After the match, Adam and Jay made their way through the hall with the tag team belts in hand. It was their second tag team win but no less sweet than their first reign had been.

"Oh, man - I can't believe Brian knocked your pants off!" Jay crowed.

"Very funny, Jay. Laugh it up," Adam said with a smirk.

"Sorry," the shorter blond said, "but that was just too funny!"

During the match, after it had come down to just them and Too Cool, Adam's tights had been pulled down, exposing his ass to the world, when Grand Master Sexay had him up for a powerbomb. Although this had happened by accident, Adam hadn't enjoyed it when the gay Brian Lawler had gotten an eyeful. He also hadn't liked the fact that, at that moment, he had to continue the physicalities with him. Adam had nothing against Brian and was in fact friends with him - but the "incident" had been mortifying nonetheless.

"Hey, that was some match," a voice quipped, and Adam turned his head to see a recently showered Amy Dumas, already in her street clothes, her hair slightly damp. She approached them and appraisingly eyed the gold they were holding for a moment. "Cool belts...too bad they won't be yours for long," she teased, running a hand through each of the blonds' hair and ruffling it playfully. Over the past four months since he'd gotten to know Amy, Adam knew that was a favorite habit of hers when she was being teasingly friendly.

He grinned at her. She was so cute. "Oh, yeah?" he shot back. "And who's gonna take 'em away from us? Your precious _Boyz_? Huh?"

Amy and Jay laughed, and Adam couldn't help but follow suit.

"On a serious note, Adam..." Amy began as she met his eyes gravely, "...That was some _eyeful _you gave everyone tonight!" She burst out laughing before even finishing the sentence, and Jay cackled as well. It seemed like laughter was contagious between those two.

"Hey, that wasn't my fault!" Adam cried, placing both hands out in a retreating gesture. "Do you honestly think I _wanted _that to happen?"

"Aww, poor Adam," Amy muttered, a mock pout on her lovely face. "You're not the exhibitionist type at all, are you?"

"Not in front of Brian Lawler, he's not," Jay offered.

Amy turned to him and swatted him on the shoulder, unable to contain her laughter.

"In front of _you_, Amy..." he continued, glancing mischievously from her to Adam, "...Well, that'sa different story."

The redhead stared at Jay for a beat, then turned to Adam, who was suddenly blushing. She smiled as she felt her own cheeks suddenly burning. Suddenly shy and feeling a bit awkward, she pushed a lock of hair behind one ear. Changing the subject, she asked, "So, do you guys want to go out on the town tonight? A club, maybe?"

"Yeah, sure," Jay replied. "Just give us awhile to hit the showers and change, and we'll be good to go."

"Great."

"Well, I've been sweaty long enough," he said with a laugh. "Catch you later, Ames." With that, Jay trotted to the door of the locker room he and Adam were sharing for the night.

While Jay disappeared behind the door, Adam lingered a bit, and he and Amy gazed at one other for a long, silent moment. Amy gave him a tiny smile. "I'll just let you shower now..." She reached out with her right hand and patted him on the upper arm.

Adam inhaled deeply upon her touch. Why was it that this woman always had such a profound effect on him?

"Okay," he said softly. "I'll see you later."

--

_RAW, August 28, 2000_

"Oh, this is just too much," Matt Hardy muttered.

Amy just laughed, and Jeff, standing on her other side, grinned.

They were glued to a TV monitor backstage, watching as Edge and Christian unleashed their brand new "37-second pose."

"Oh, come on! That doesn't even _look _like me!" Matt complained.

Jeff started to snicker. "God, get a sense of humor, bro...this stuff is hilarious!"

"That little Buh Buh Ray is so adorable!" Amy said between giggles.

The elder Hardy brother turned to glance from Jeff to Amy as if they were both crazy, then he looked back at the TV screen. He too suddenly began to laugh as Adam and Jay held the tag team belts way over the heads of the four little people who were impersonating him, Jeff and the Dudleys.

"Hey, there's your cue, guys," Amy said. "Remember what I told you - try not to hurt Adam and Jay, and don't hurt yourselves, either!" She pointed a gesturing finger at them.

"We won't, Mom!" Jeff replied with a grin and a wink.

"I mean it! Especially _you_, Jeff...Don't try anything crazy!" the redhead called as Jeff followed his brother out toward the curtain leading to the arena.

When they were gone, Amy winced and rubbed a crick in the back of her neck. It was the night after SummerSlam, and although she hadn't had a match at the pay-per-view, she was tired. The only physical action Lita had seen was when she'd run out to the ring to help the Hardys during their TLC match against Edge and Christian and the Dudley Boyz. She had overturned the ladder the blond Canadians were on, preventing them from reaching the tag team belts, which were hanging high above the ring. She'd stayed ringside, and later on, had taken a spear from Edge on the arena floor. Although he'd been more than gentle and tried to cushion her, she'd hit her head on a fallen ladder that just so happened to be nearby.

Afterward, Amy had seen stars as she'd wended her way back to the locker room. She hadn't seen any of the guys for the rest of the night because she'd felt too tired to socialize. Instead, she had taken a cool shower and then hit the hay.

Tonight, she had a match defending the Women's title against Jackie. Even though she was tired and a little worse for wear after SummerSlam, she was excited about her first title defense.

The match went smoothly, and Jackie was experienced enough and gracious enough to be gentle when she delivered kicks to Amy's midsection. The tough diva was such a pro, and Amy respected her tremendously. She admired the way Jackie had made the kicks look really painfully when, in reality, they didn't hurt one bit.

Still, Amy feigned feeling pain, wincing every so often. Actually, that one spot on her head _did _still feel a little tender. When they were locked up in the corner, Jackie asked, "Am I hurting you, hon?"

"No," Amy replied, "not a bit..."

Jackie smiled briefly, appreciating the redhead's selling of her moves. "Thanks, girl..."

The match soon came to an end when Amy delivered a Twist of Fate, followed by her moonsault. The referee raised her arm in victory as Lilian Garcia announced Lita as the winner and still Women's Champion.

Amy was just leaving the ring and had just taken a couple of steps when she noticed two familiar forms approaching.

Adam and Jay, still clad in the street clothes they'd worn during their special pose and ridiculing of their "inferior" opponents, were waving at her. She felt like laughing when both men smiled at her - especially Adam - but she held it back for the sake of the storyline.

However, while she played surprised and a little scared, she realized that her heart began to quicken as Adam neared. Over the last several months, they'd grown pretty close, and she couldn't deny there was an attraction there.

She gave a little yelp of surprise as she felt her hair suddenly being yanked by Jackie, who pulled her back into the ring and whipped her into the ropes. As the veteran diva went for a clothesline, Lita ducked, only to be speared hard to the canvas by Edge, who had quickly slipped into the ring.

Adam seemed to linger over her for several seconds that felt long to Amy. As she had the previous night, she momentarily saw stars behind her eyelids. She tried to shake off the cobwebs, but Jackie and Christian, who had also rushed into the ring, began kicking her as Edge stood by and laughed. Evidently, he was very proud of himself for taking Lita down with the spear two nights in a row - as if that were some kind of feat.

The three suddenly ran from the ring as Matt and Jeff Hardy rushed out and into the ring to Lita's aid. Amy lay there on the canvas, clutching her ribs and head while Matt checked on her. Outside the ring, heading up the ramp, Edge looked back, a huge grin across his handsome face. He seemed _too_ happy.

The last glimpse Amy got of Adam before he disappeared backstage with Jay and Jackie, he was mocking the Hardys' gun signs. She would have laughed if her head didn't hurt. She felt like she had quite a wallup.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked seriously when they were all backstage. He'd noticed that Amy was holding her head and knew that she'd gotten a bit of a bump the night before at SummerSlam.

"I don't know," she replied. "Ohhh...Damn it!" She winced as she rubbed the sore spot. "Just a minute," guys, she said as she turned toward a locker room. Without knocking, she pushed the door open and waltzed right in.

"Hey, Ames," a grinning Adam said cheerfully as he looked up to see her. "Was that cool, or-"

"You jerk!!" she shouted, punching him in the arm with all her strength. Her beautiful face was a mask of fury.

"What??" Adam was taken shocked by this display of anger and violence that was so boldly directed at him. What had just happened was all part of the script, so why was she so upset?

"That spear!" Amy yelled, gesturing wildly with both arms. "Why did you have to be so rough? I _am _a girl, you know!"

"I know..." Adam didn't need her to tell him for him to be aware of such a fact. He was more than aware of the fact that she was female. "...I'm sorry," he said humbly. "I didn't mean to be rough. Actually, I tried to be very gentle with you."

"Damn it, Adam! I hit my head on a ladder when you speared me last night!"

Frowning, Adam stood up and reached out to her tentatively, wanting to touch her, but he hesitated. "I'm really sorry. I didn't even realize you got hurt last night, let alone tonight." He felt awful. He didn't want to hurt _anyone, _but she was the _last_ person he would want to hurt.

"Just...take it easy next time, okay?!" Amy demanded as she glared up at him, hands on her hips. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take a shower and get out of here."

Adam nodded wordlessly. He felt really bad. After a few more seconds of Amy staring daggers into him, the redhead turned and briskly walked out.

"What was _that _all about?" Jay asked as he stepped out of the small bathroom and into the main locker room area. "I heard Amy yelling at you, but I couldn't make out everything she said. She sounded pissed!"

"She was," Adam said bitterly as he sat down on the small black leather couch against the wall. He raked both hands through his long blond hair. "I hurt her when I did that spear, Jay...She hit her head last night, and apparently, hit it again tonight. Shit, I can't believe I hurt her, Jay!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, Amy," Joanie Laurer - Chyna in the ring - greeted as the redheaded diva entered the women's locker room.

"Hi, Joanie," she replied, still sulking after her little visit to Adam.

"What's wrong?" asked the beautiful raven-haired diva as she packed the Intercontinental title belt into her suitcase. Chyna had won the championship the previous night at SummerSlam. "You look upset..."

"I am," Amy admitted with a sigh. She sat down across from her friend and ran her fingers nervously through her long hair. "I got this bump on my head last night when Adam speared me during the TLC match. I hit my head on a ladder," she explained.

"And when he speared you after your match tonight, you felt the pain again?"

"Yes - because he speared me hard enough that my head hit the canvas right on the bump. I...I just came from giving him a piece of my mind," Amy said.

"Aww..." the muscular woman said sympathetically. "You should get an icepack. But you know Adam didn't _mean_ to hurt you."

"Yeah, I know," the redhead said despairingly. "I feel so bad for how I yelled at him...he apologized profusely to me, and the look on his face...and I even punched him!"

"Aww, poor guy," Joanie said. "He must feel so bad...But think of it this way - at least it was _you _who punched him, and not _me_. I'd have hurt the guy...ya know, I'm not called the Ninth Wonder of the World for nothing." She winked at the other woman and smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Amy smiled despite the fact that she felt remorseful over what she'd done. "Yeah, that's true..."

"Amy, don't worry," the other diva said, her lovely face turning serious, "I'm sure Adam doesn't hold it against you...You guys are such good friends, and he cares about you. I'll bet he even thinks he _deserved_ what you gave him. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Amy nodded. She hoped Joanie was right.

--

Adam blankly eyed the television in the hotel room he and Jay were sharing. Although he was in the middle of a program, he wasn't paying it any attention. Instead, he couldn't get his mind off of Amy and their earlier encounter.

He was angry - not at her for striking him and yelling at him, but at himself. He should have known better. He'd _tried _to be gentle, but he guessed he just didn't know his own strength.

Adam's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knocking on the hotel room door. He looked up for a moment, then stood up and went to answer.

A regretful-looking Amy stood in the doorway, looking up at him almost shyly.

"Hi," Adam said softly. He was surprised and had never expected to see her there, after what had occured earlier that night.

"Hi, Adam," she spoke. "Umm...Can I come in?"

"Of course..." He held the door open wider, then shut it once she strode inside.

"Is Jay here?"

Adam felt a surge of disappointment. Was _that _why she was here? She was looking for Jay? "No," he began, "he went out with Chris and Drew."

"Why didn't you go with them?" the diva asked curiously, her eyes locked on his.

"I didn't feel like it," he said. "Not much in a partying mood."

Amy winced slightly, feeling lousy. So, she _had _made him feel miserable after all. "Listen, Adam, I just wanted to apologize for earlier tonight," she blurted. "It was nasty of me to just go up to you like that. I'm especially sorry for the punch. I...I had no right to hit you."

"Hey, that's all right, Amy," he said. "You were angry, and you had every right to be. I'm just sorry about your head. I wish you'd told me last night you'd gotten hurt."

The redhead nodded, looking down as she pushed a lock of hair behind one ear. "I should have..." She looked up to meet the tall man's emerald-bronze eyes. "Listen, is it all right if I just hang around for awhile?"

Adam gazed down at her. "Sure...of course...You know you're always welcome to spend time with me, Amy."

A small smile spread across the young woman's beautiful face. "That's good to know," she said softly. "I was afraid you would be angry with me after earlier. I'm glad we're still friends."

Adam suddenly noticed an odd, almost tugging sensation in his heart. How could she think he would ever see her in a negative light? He knew he'd deserved her angry words. He reached over to graze her bare shoulder with his fingertips. "Hey, want to watch a movie? I think I heard that American Pie 2 was going to be playing on this channel in a few minutes."

"I'd like that," she replied with a smile, her hazel eyes still locked with his. She crept over to the bed on the far side of the room and plopped down on its right side, reaching down to take off her shoes. She then proceeded to make herself even more comfortable by leaning back against the pillows that were propped up against the headboard.

Adam smirked at her, shaking his head as he surveyed her actions. Man, but she sure made herself at home. His smirk transforming into a brilliant trademark grin, the blond joined the diva, laying on his stomach on the other side of the bed.

A moment later, the movie started. Adam sat up slightly and glanced over at Amy. "Hey, by the way, how's your head?" he asked, his face showing clear concern.

"Better," she said. "I decided to take Joanie's advice and get myself an icepack. The swelling went down."

"Good," Adam said with a smile.

For a little while afterward, the pair watched as Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan and company got into one silly and embarrassing situation after another. They had both admitted to having already seen the movie before but Amy realized she was enjoying it more now, seeing it with Adam. Before it ended, they were engaging in one conversation after another, and after awhile, neither was really paying attention to the flick anymore.

Adam laughed as Amy compared herself to the character of Michelle in the movie. "Yeah, I'm serious...I wanted to go to baseball camp!" she laughed. "Of course, since it was a sleepaway type thing, my mom wouldn't let me."

"Overprotective, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely. And you know what _really _sucked? The following year, my parents let my brother go to baseball camp, and he's four years younger than me!"

"Ugh, that sucks," Adam said with a grimace. "You must have been so pissed. But hey, Ames - maybe it's a good thing you didn't end up going. I mean, if you had, you might be telling me stories like" - he raised the pitch of his voice as if mocking her speech - "'One time, in baseball camp, I stuck a-'"

"You're disgusting!" Amy shouted as she pounced on him, beginning to laugh. She tackled him, wrapping her arm around Adam's neck in a headlock.

"Hey!" Adam yelped. "That's not fair!" He couldn't stop laughing.

"Do you give up?" the redhead asked in her most menacing voice as she held fast to him.

"No - never!"

Amy tightened her grip ever so slightly.

"Okay, okay! You win, you win...I give up!" Adam cried.

"That's what I thought," Amy said with a chuckle. She reached down with her right hand to pummel Adam's head with noogies before finally releasing him. Afterward, she laughed uncontrollably.

Adam gazed at her wonderingly. He couldn't help but remind himself of what an amazing, fun person she was. He loved the sound of her girlish laughter. He marveled at how happy she appeared to now be, when, earlier, she'd been feeling the opposite.

"You know something?" he asked softly.

"What?"

"You are something else...You really are."

Amy giggled again, her eyes still locked with his. "I know...You know what?"

Adam stared into the redhead's hazel eyes expectantly. "Hmm?"

"So are you..."

--

Jay Reso yawned as he finally approached the door to the hotel room he and Adam were sharing. It was around three in the morning and he was exhausted. He'd wanted to leave the club and head back to get some shuteye two hours earlier, but Chris had insisted they stick around - he'd wanted to try to get the hot brunette in the black velvet minidress to dance with him. Jay wished he'd gone back to the hotel early with Drew, who'd been lucky enough to break away from Chris.

He yawned again as he dug the keycard out of the back pocket of his jeans. Slipping it into the slot on the door, he heard the lock click and then pushed it open. He stopped dead in his tracks as his blue eyes took in the scene inside the room.

The TV was still on, and some old black and white movie was playing. Adam and Amy were both sound asleep on Adam's bed, side-by-side and fully clothed. Amy's head was resting slightly on Adam's shoulder, her right hand laying on his chest. Jay was amazed that the volume of the televison set plus the brightness of the bedside lamp did not disturb them.

He chuckled softly to himself as he continued to watch them. He tiptoed quietly across the room so as not to wake them, then flipped off the TV. Afterward, he came back over to the nightstand and turned off the lamp. Then, although he knew nothing had happened between his two friends that night, he tiptoed out of the room, deciding Chris owed him enough to share his hotel room for the night.

--

_SmackDown taping, December 5, 2000_

Adam frowned as he and Jay chatted with Matt and Jeff Hardy about their current angle. Team Xtreme would be going head-to-head with the Radicalz, particularly Dean Malenko. Since the previous night on RAW, the storyline had Malenko relentlessly pursuing Lita. Adam violently loathed the idea and knew it would only progress to much worse.

"So, we're gonna hide in the room and have a surprise ambush for Dean," Matt explained with a chuckle. The dark-haired Hardy seemed to take obvious enjoyment in the new angle.

"So, what does Amy think of all this?" Jay questioned.

"Oh, she's cool with it," Jeff said. "She thinks tonight's storyline is pretty funny, and after last night's match, she told me she enjoys working with Dean."

Adam was about to offer his own two cents worth when the door to the locker room was suddenly opened a crack.

"Are you guys decent?" Amy's voice asked from the other side.

"Yeah, come on in," Jay called. He and Adam were already dressed for their later return match against Road Dogg and K-Kwik, and Matt and Jeff didn't have a match, so they were in the clothing they'd arrived at the arena in.

Amy stepped into the room wearing a short silky white robe, which she held closed with one hand. On her feet was a pair of white pumps, and her auburn hair was freshly styled, the locks hanging in springy curls. Her makeup was expertly applied in natural, neutral tones. Adam's eyes focused on hers, but it was mere seconds before he was drawn to her bare, shapely legs.

"Hey, guys," she said. "I just wanted to get your opinion on something..."

The four men eyed her expectantly.

The redhead untied her robe, then opened it to display the exquisite lingerie she wore underneath.

"Do you think this will do for tonight's little hotel room scene with Malenko?"

"Oh, my God..." Adam's jaw dropped as he drank in the vision of her in the white, patterned bra and thong set. God, but she was gorgeous. He actually felt his pulse and heart racing.

"That's perfect, Ames," Jay said as he looked over her form with appreciation.

"I told you earlier you'd seriously turn some heads wearing that stuff," Matt said. "I'm just glad you didn't model it for Jericho."

Jeff and Jay laughed and agreed.

Amy emitted a throaty laugh. "I'm sure he'd have some kind of unforgettable comment for me." She glanced from Matt to Adam, who had thus far remained silent aside from his "Oh, my God."

"Adam?" she said, spreading her arms and moving to end in a pose. "What do you think?"

The tall blond Canadian felt dumbfounded. "I...err...I think you look beautiful," he stuttered. "Absolutely beautiful."

Amy gazed directly and unwaveringly into his green eyes and was silent for a beat. "Thank you," she said, a soft smile playing on her features.

Nobody spoke for a moment. Then, breaking the silence, the diva turned and headed for the door. "Well, I'd better get back to the women's locker room and get dressed. Can you guys _believe _I have to wear a dress for Lita and Dean's date tonight?" She rolled her eyes for emphasis.

"Poor baby," Jeff said sarcastically. Amy smiled at all the young men before stepping out of the room.

A couple of hours later, Adam was glued to a TV monitor in the back while Dean Malenko picked Lita up for their dinner date.

He'd never seen Amy in a dress before, but he liked what he saw. His redheaded friend was wearing a short, black, sequined number with spaghetti straps. A fair amount of leg and cleavage showed, and the massive tattoo on her right shoulder looked cool next to the black shininess of the dress.

"Wow," Adam breathed. "She looks great, doesn't she, Jay?"

"Yeah," the smaller blond agreed with a nod. "She's pretty hot."

Adam glanced at him. "What, you've got the hots for her now?"

"No...did I say I did?"

Adam gave him another look before turning back to the monitor. Matt was telling the diva to call him and Jeff if the Radical tried anything "funny." As Lita and Dean left, Malenko told the Hardys not to wait up, and after another moment, the scene came to an end.

"I just wish she didn't have to appear in her lingerie later on," Adam muttered.

"Hey, she looked great...very tasteful, too, I might add," Jay said.

"I know - you're right...but I hate this storyline, and why does she have to be sitting there in her bra and panties? You know?"

"Yeah, I know, Adam," Jay said with a laugh. "You're completely in love with her..."

"What?" Adam asked, turning to stare at his best friend.

"You heard me...You are so totally in love with Amy."

"No, I'm not, Jay!" the other man insisted. "She's my friend and I care a lot about her...that's all."

Jay laughed as he noticed Adam's face was suddenly red. "Dude, you are _so_ totally in denial..."


	4. Chapter 4

_RAW, Christmas Day 2000_

Adam and Jay were esconced in a locker room backstage, watching matches and other events on a TV monitor while waiting for their match. After the special, hilarious Christmas promo they had performed earlier in the night with Stephanie McMahon and Kurt Angle (the Olympic Hero's four brothers and cousin Eric had been there for the festivities as well), they had a main event against Chris Jericho and the Dudley Boyz.

Amy wasn't around that evening. She had work to do elsewhere - hosting RAW night at WWF New York. Adam was sorry he wouldn't be able to see her until late that night. Since RAW was taking place at Madison Square Garden, they, along with Jay, the Hardys and Chris, would be meeting up after the show.

"Hey, check it out, Adam," Jay called.

Adam stepped away from his bag, through which he had been rummaging for a suitable pair of wrestling tights. He followed the other man's line of sight to the television monitor and saw Amy stepping out onto the stage at WWF New York clad in a robe. His gut clenched as he realized where this was all heading.

A moment later, she dropped the robe, and Adam's jaw dropped along with it. Amy was modeling "Christmas" lingerie - that is, bra and panties sets in the festive colors of red, platinum and green. Adam drank in the luscious sight but seethed inwardly at Vince McMahon for making her do this yet again. Didn't the boss hold _any _respect for women?

He felt further irritated when the camera suddenly shifted and Dean Malenko's image appeared on screen. The man looked pleased as he evidently stared at the redhead in her lingerie. Unconsciously, Adam clenched his right hand into a fist.

Jay noted the gesture and knew exactly what was going on in his best friend's head. "Hey, chill out," he said. "Come on, we're up real soon...in fact, our match is the one after the next one."

Adam grumbled a response as he changed into his tights. He couldn't wait to leave the arena.

Fifteen minutes after leaving the arena, the small group of wrestlers double-parked outside of WWF New York to pick up Amy. Matt was behind the wheel of the rental car they were using for the night's excursion, as he didn't drink and would be one of the designated drivers. Jeff, like his big brother, didn't drink, either, so he would be the other if Matt was too tired to drive back to the hotel later on.

"Amy!"

The diva was just slinging her leather knapsack over one shoulder to leave when she heard the familiar voice.

"Hey, Chris!" she called back as she headed over to her blond friend.

"Merry Christmas, lady," Jericho cried, his arms wide open.

"Merry Christmas to you, too," Amy said as she hugged him. Because she had been designated to WWF New York for the night, she hadn't seen Chris or the other guys at all. She'd been looking forward to a fun night with them the entire evening.

"Where's everyone else?" she queried as they walked through the nearly empty place, Chris' arm around her waist.

"Right out front in Matt's rental car," he replied. "The guys missed ya tonight."

"Oh, really? You mean none of you watched my lingerie show? You _really _missed me?"

Chris smirked. "Are you kidding, Ames? _I _certainly didn't miss _that _for anything in the world. A tidal wave couldn't have pushed me away from that TV screen during your little show."

The redhead smirked back at her friend as she looked into his clear blue eyes, which sparkled mischievously. "You're unbelievable," she told him as she burst into laughter. She reached out and ruffled up his long blond hair playfully as they walked through the door and out to the street.

They saw Jeff standing on the curb, and Amy waved. She laughed at the ridiculously floppy winter hat covering his colorful head.

"Is that a Christmas present from yourself?" she quipped, laughing. Her breath showed just how cold it was outside.

"Yeah, how'd you guess?" Jeff replied with a grin. He put an arm around her, allowing her to step into the front seat of the car so that she would be between him and his brother. Chris got into the back next to Jay, who, since he was the smallest back there, would be in the middle. Adam sat quietly behind Matt. The elder Hardy, Jay and Adam all exchanged greetings with the diva.

"Everyone got their seat belts on?" Matt asked, eyeing the guys in the back in particular.

"You must be kidding, Junior," Chris muttered. "I'm afraid to even _look _for the seatbelt. Jay here is a little too close for comfort as it is. I go feeling around for it and I might end up accidentally grabbing something I don't _want _to grab."

"You do and you die," Jay said, one fist raised at his sarcastic, smart aleck friend.

"Bite me!"

"Adam's the one with the big teeth, not me!"

"Hey, don't drag me into your little spat," Adam retorted, putting his hands up in a retreating gesture.

"All right, children!" Amy cried from the front seat. Her eyes sparkled with glee, her face consumed by the happy grin she wore. Her eyes briefly met Adam's in the rearview mirror. "As long as you're all sardined in together, guys, you'll probably be safe without your seatbelts." She wanted to add, but didn't, _Not to mention the fact that Matt drives like a little old man. _She felt a tap on her left shoulder and turned to face Matt, suspicious for an instant that her friend actually read her mind.

"You," he said in a voice that could rival that of any strict school teacher, "put your seatbelt on."

Amy did as she was instructed. "Yes, sir," she said with a salute, then snapped it in place. She noticed Jeff was already buckled in his own lap belt. As Matt was releasing the emergency brake, Amy couldn't help but reach out and tousle his long brown hair.

Amy sipped on her second margarita of the night, twirling her straw in the glass. She wasn't much of a drinker at all and had already gotten a bit of a buzz from the first drink. She looked up and spotted Chris dancing wildly with two girls.

The other guys sat around the table with her, Adam and Jay each nursing a beer while the Hardys had non-alcoholic beverages.

"I think I'm gonna go join Chris on the dance floor," Jeff stated. Then, standing, he turned to Amy. "Dance with me?"

"Alrighty...but if you start doing the funky chicken, that's it - I won't dance with you again," she warned, stifling a giggle.

Adam's eyes followed the redhead's every move as she and the young man walked to where Chris was dancing, now only with one of the girls. He decided he would ask her to dance next.

The young blonde who had been dancing with Chris and the other girl strode over to the table.

"Hi," she said almost shyly as she looked down at each of the guys in turn. "Would one of you like to dance?"

"Sure, I will," Matt spoke before either Jay or Adam could respond. He stood up and walked with the girl to the dance floor.

Adam certainly didn't mind. He sipped his beer and shifted his eyes back to Amy, who was laughing heartily at Jeff's gyrating antics.

"So...that lingerie bit is not still bothering you, is it?" he heard Jay ask.

Adam shrugged but didn't take his eyes off the diva. "It's sad to think Vince wouldn't think more of her," he said. "She is so amazing and talented...so much more than the 'pretty face and T n' A' I labeled her as being when we first met."

"She sure is," Jay agreed.

The two best friends shared a comfortable silence while watching the others enjoying themselves dancing. When the song that was playing came to an end, Amy and Jeff returned to the table.

Adam and Amy both started to speak simultaneously.

"I'm sorry," Amy said coyly.

"No, it's all right. Go ahead," Adam said as he gazed at her.

"Well, I just wanted to ask if you'd like to dance with me," the redhead said almost shyly, running one hand through her straight hair.

Adam didn't even have to think about her request. "Ames...I'd love to."

They both got up from the table and made their way to the dance floor, Amy holding onto the tall Canadian's hand as she led him to a spot near Matt and the girl with whom he was still dancing.

The song currently playing was a fast dance number, but it was soon replaced by a slow ballad. Adam was actually slightly nervous as he slid his hands to Amy's waist, her arms automatically raising to encircle his neck. He gazed down into her eyes, and she stared back up into his, the contact strong and intense. Neither spoke for a while.

Finally, Adam broke the spell. "So, how are you enjoying your Christmas?"

"Oh, I've been having a great time tonight," she replied, eyes still glued to his.

"Quite an unconventional holiday, huh?" Adam asked with a chuckle. "Yet typical of the life of a WWF superstar."

The diva smiled. Adam was dazzled by that smile. It seemed to light up the entire club. "So true..." She paused, deep in thought for a moment. Then, "I have a gift for you, but it's back at the hotel...Actually, the only person I've already given one to is Joanie. She seemed too anxious to wait, so I gave in and let her open it early - she may be big and muscular, but sometimes she's like a little girl."

The Canadian snickered, instantly recalling having faced the Ninth Wonder of the World in a tag team match back in the spring. He and Jay had to feign fear at seeing Chyna as an opponent - though that hadn't _all _been an act. Although strikingly beautiful, the woman was ferociously strong and wrestled with everything she had. Joanie Laurer was a true sweetheart, but inside the squared circle, Adam found her extremely intimidating. She was stronger than the majority of the men, and he was only all too glad that her low blows were gentle.

The song came to an end and the two decided to return to their table for awhile. As they sat down, Adam cleared his throat as the memory of Amy's lingerie show at WWF New York earlier that night suddenly returned to him.

"Hey, I saw that bit of you onstage at WWF New York earlier tonight."

"Oh, yeah? So, what'd you think?"

"Honestly? I thought about what a jerk Mr. McMahon is for making you do that...And using the angle with Dean as an excuse for it - lame," the blond admitted candidly.

Amy's expression darkened somewhat, her smile fading. "Well...I didn't think it was _that _bad." She looked up at him. "Do you really think that's why Mr. McMahon had me do that?"

"Actually, I think it was for his own pathetic benefit...because he knows he could never get anything from a girl like you, who wouldn't take any crap," Adam said. "I mean, just the other day, Trish was telling Jay and me about a storyline they've got in the making for _her_...pretty appalling stuff."

Amy frowned. "She never mentioned anything to me...What's the tentative storyline?"

"Hold onto your hat," Adam warned. After a quick pause, the redhead gazing at him expectantly, he continued. "She has to pretend to be having an affair with him."

"Eww!!" Amy exclaimed, wrinkling her nose with distate, a gesture Adam found irresistibly adorable. "You're right - that _is _appalling!"

"Not only that - she has to make out with him!"

The redhead now gaped at the blond man, eyes widened as she tried to envision such horror. "That is just too much!" she cried. "I would never go along with such an angle!"

"Well, the way Trish described it, it sounds like Mr. McMahon might have forced her into going along with it."

"Poor girl..."

The two were silent for a moment, each consumed with thoughts of sympathy for their friend. Then, suddenly, the band Journey's famous old ballad, "Open Arms," began to play.

"Oh, I love this song!" Amy said.

"Yeah?" Adam asked. "I was always a bit partial to Journey myself." He grinned at her. "Want to dance again?"

"I'd love to."

While the pair were dancing slow and close, the others made their way back to the table. Chris glanced at Adam and Amy, then looked at Jay, Matt and Jeff in turn and smirked.

"Aren't they cute?" he cracked.


	5. Chapter 5

_RAW, February 18, 2001_

The Lita-being-harassed-by-the-married-and-lecherous-Dean Malenko angle was finally coming to an end. Amy was actually relieved, because, quite frankly, this storyline was getting really old. She was looking forward to new endeavors.

Still, right now, she had to concentrate on the matter at hand. She felt a bit odd about the new spin on this dying angle and had mentioned so to Matt and Jeff.

Dean made his way to the ring, prepared to do whatever it took to beat Lita, but it wouldn't happen. When the referee was temporarily incapacitated, the older Hardy Boy ran to the ring via the crowd and attacked Malenko. Afterward, he instructed the fiery redhead to pin her opponent and slid out of the ring. It was just at the moment the diva took her friend's advice that the official roused. He counted the three for Lita's victory.

Adam and Jay watched all of this on a TV monitor in the backstage area, and Adam wasn't enjoying a moment of it aside from the former Radical being taken care of. He dreaded the moments that would take place after the match.

From the other side of the small couch on which they sat, Jay eyed his best friend knowingly. He realized just how difficult this was for Adam, even though the tall blond was still too stubborn and blind to realize his true feelings for Amy.

In the ring, Matt was hugging Lita. Seconds later, he pulled back and then planted a firm kiss on her lips. The redhead looked shocked by this turn of events as she held a hand up to her mouth. Matt backed off, cursing himself and apologizing profusely for what he'd done, then departed the ring and began heading up the ramp.

Much to Adam's chagrin, instead of screwing up and not sticking to the script, Amy slipped out of the ring and went after the dark-haired man. Catching up to him, she reached out and placed a hand on Matt's shoulder, prompting the Hardy to turn around. Lita instantly pulled him to her and kissed him, her left hand tangling itself in his long hair.

Adam leaned forward as he stared at the screen in disbelief. "He's kissing her back!" he cried.

"Of course he is, Adam," Jay said matter-of-factly. "That was in the script."

"But he's _really _kissing her, Jay...like Jerry Lawler just said - tonsil hockey!" He ran a hand through his long blond mane, his face a mask of pure, naked disappointment.

"It's not all that bad."

"The _hell _it isn't!" Adam shouted, standing up and beginning to pace the length of the small room. "Now we have to endure who knows how long of...of..._this_!" He gestured with one hand toward the TV.

_Well, _you _have to "endure" it, _Jay thought. Aloud, he said, "Look, Adam...I don't know why it's bothering you so much - since you vehemently deny being in love with her."

"Well...it's because...it's just because she's my friend and...I'm concerned about her," Adam sputtered.

Jay laughed. "Know what, man? You sound _exactly_ like Matt did during this angle right around New Year's - when they decided to turn the story into _this_." It was now his turn to gesture toward the TV screen.

Adam didn't reply. He merely stared at the monitor, a frown dominating his handsome features.

--

_WrestleMania XVII, April 1, 2001_

The biggest annual extravaganza of wrestling was upon the WWF. Edge and Christian, the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz were to compete in TLC II, again for the tag team championships.

Adam and Jay were psyched, as they were slated to win yet again. As their goofball, fun-loving WWF personas would say, they were the kings of the TLC match. Much like the first contest, it was non-stop action and innovative offense galore. Tables, ladders and chairs alike were utilized in creative fashion.

During the part of the match that Adam was most excited, he was the only man standing - on a ladder, no less. As he climbed the rungs to try to reach the gold, a chill of anticipation ran up his spine. He stalled a bit as he waited for her...

...In his peripheral vision, he saw Amy running down the ramp from the back. She was wearing a pink fishnet top and tight pink and black leopard-spotted pants, her dark red hair flowing behind her. Adam had to pace himself not to stare. She was stunning. She was gorgeous. He suddenly realized that, ninety-nine percent of the time when they were working together, she dressed in very sexy clothes.

Lita stormed into the ring just as Edge's fingers barely grazed one of the tag team belts. She instantly shoved over the ladder upon which he was standing and the blond man ended up crotched on the top rope. After, as he crept to the corner in pain and lay back against the bottom turnbuckle, she stripped off her shirt and charged at him, an angry expression on her face as she gave him what-for.

Adam winced but could not take his eyes off of Amy in the lacy black front-close bra that was now all the wore on her upper torso. Suddenly, he caught sight of the Dudleys slowly sneaking up behind her. As he watched, and as Amy slowly turned around, Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von 3D'd her.

Not much later, an old friend of Edge and Christian's, Rhyno, had run out to help his comrades. The bulky man gored a couple of their opponents, "evening up" E and C's odds. But before long, another newcomer appeared. Spike Dudley, the little half-brother of Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von, grabbed Christian and executed his finisher, the Dudley Dog, on the Canadian.

Bodies were everywhere, and like J.R. had said, it looked like the competitors and their counterparts had been in an automobile wreck. Out of the corner of his eye, Adam spotted Amy with a steel chair in hand. In a flash, she raised it and clocked little Spike in the head.

The match lasted roughly a half hour. When it was finally over, everyone was feeling at least a bit sore.

"Hey, are you all right, man?" Adam asked Jeff Hardy with concern. He'd tried his best to cushion his friend a bit when he'd had to spear him from the top of a ladder - but how much _could _one cushion someone doing that?

"Yeah...just a little achy," the younger man replied, nodding.

"You all right, girl?" Devon Hughes was asking Amy, noticing that she was holding the back of her neck.

The redhead smiled at him. "I'll live," she said.

Mark LaMonica smiled. "You know, Ames, Devon - she's one tough cookie...she's _hardcore_, and don't you forget it!" He gave the redhead a friendly pat on the back. "Nice work out there, kiddo..."

"Thanks, but you six guys did all the really great work." She turned to look at each of the other men in turn. "This match was a hit! Definitely the best of all WrestleMania, and a definite candidate for match of the year!"

"Ames, there are still more matches to take place," Matt pointed out.

"Yeah, but yours _has _to take the cake." She turned toward Adam and Jay, who were holding onto the tag team belts. They had both placed the gold over their shoulders and looked exhausted, and rightly so.

"Congratulations, you guys."

"Thanks," Jay and Adam both said in unison.

"Look, I'm gonna hit the showers," Jay said. "Nice work, gang...See you all later."

"I second everything he just said," Adam stated. Grinning meaningfully at his friends, Amy in particular, he turned and headed into the locker room he was sharing with Jay. The rest of the group started to disperse as well, the other four men going to their respective locker rooms. Amy lingered just outside the door through which Adam had disappeared for a moment, then tentatively stepped up to it. She knocked five times, then waited.

"Come in," came Adam's voice.

Amy pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Adam was sitting on a chair, a towel swung over his shoulder. He was still clad in the purple tights he'd worn for the match, but he had removed one of his wrestling boots. The other was untied, and he yanked it off, then looked up at the redhead.

She had put her pink shirt back on, but her black bra was clearly visible underneath the thin material. Adam couldn't help but wish she hadn't put the top back on, then felt like a jerk for such thoughts. Amy was his friend, and he respected her tremendously. And what would she think of him if she knew what he'd just been thinking??

"Adam, I..." Amy started, running a hand through her hair. The blond stood up before her and she moved closer to him. Her lovely face wore an expression of concern. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for inadvertently crotching you on the rope when I pushed that ladder over."

Adam gazed directly down into her hazel eyes. So, this was why she looked so concerned? He suddenly felt a warm, pleasant floating sensation in the pit of his stomach.

"Hey, that's okay...I'm fine. You didn't have to apologize for that."

"Are you kidding? I felt so awful when I saw your landing!" She winced and bit her lip.

The distinct but slightly muffled sound of water running from a shower suddenly filled the small room. In the bathroom just next door, Jay had started his shower.

Amy took a couple of steps closer to Adam. "I'm still sorry, anyway," she said.

They stared at each other wordlessly for a moment before they reacted to a sudden knocking on the door. Adam was startled but didn't say so. "Come in," he called.

The door opened and Matt Hardy stuck his head in. "Hey, Amy - Jeff needs you for a minute."

"Why?"

"It's the stupidest thing - he wants you to help him change the color of his hair."

"Right now?" the redhead asked, rolling her eyes for Adam's benefit.

"Uh huh," Matt replied. "He said he needs you ASAP."

"Okay, okay," Amy said resignedly. Turning back to Adam, she said, "I'll see you later."

"Later, Ames."

After the redhead and Matt had gone, Adam sank back down into the chair and pondered how he'd felt only seconds earlier as he and Amy had been alone together. He realized he had a lot of thinking to do.

--

_Judgment Day, May 20, 2001_

Amy sighed as she stood in the hallway, awaiting her time to walk out to the arena. Tonight, Lita would be facing her friend Chyna for the WWF Women's title in a long-awaited match. They had been building things up between the two for awhile, and now it was time.

Amy was thrilled at the prospect of facing Joanie Laurer in the ring, but it was bittersweet. This was to be Joanie's final match with the WWF. The woman had recently announced that the company no longer knew what to do with her character and therefore, decided not to renew her contract, which would end in November. However, Amy knew this was not the whole picture - which the Women's champion had confessed to her friends and confidantes. The deeper reason behind the raven-haired beauty not wanting to continue with the WWF stemmed from her longtime boyfriend, Paul Levesque - Triple H. A few months earlier, Paul had confessed that he had been carrying on a secret affair with Stephanie McMahon. Joanie, with whom he'd been living and in a relationship with for four years, had been devastated. She'd carried on valiantly with her personal and professional life, but things had just gotten to her too much. She'd opted out of her contract rather than having it renewed.

Amy ran a hand through her long auburn locks. She was deeply saddened by the knowledge that this company would be without Joanie Laurer after this match. It would never be the same. Over the last fifteen months since she'd joined the WWF, she and Joanie had developed a strong friendship and mutual respect. Amy viewed the woman as a big sister, and even as an inspiration. After all, as Lita had told Chyna on a recent RAW, the Ninth Wonder of the World had paved the way for the rest of the women in this business.

"Hey...are you okay?"

Amy spun around, startled by the voice, then settled down. She gazed up into Adam's green eyes and sighed again. "Oh, yeah...yeah, I'm okay," she said. Her eyes returned to their previously downcast position.

Adam didn't speak for a moment. Amy suddenly felt his arm go around her, his hand gently stroking her back. He knew how she was feeling and that she and Joanie were close. He felt lousy about the woman leaving as well.

The redhead allowed herself to sink against the man, her head still down. She was terrified of breaking down in the ring. She couldn't allow that to happen. The fans were not yet aware of the turmoil going on for Joanie Laurer, and if she cried during the match, they would just think Lita was being a wimp. And that was certainly the last thing she could ever be.

"I'm up next."

Adam moved his arm to grasp Amy's hand. He gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze as she looked up at him and met his warm gaze. "Everything will be all right, Amy," he said. "We're throwing that going away party for Joanie tonight...She's not expecting anything, is she?"

"No...I don't think so. If she was, she would have said something to me or Chris."

Adam gazed at her for a moment, still holding onto her hand. He was pleased that she didn't pull away and that she was grasping his as well. Then, he spoke. "Anyway, good luck out there. I know this is your first _real _match against her..." He hesitated, knowing that Amy was probably thinking the rest of the sentence for him. _...And my last._

Instead, the diva simply said, "Thanks."

The tall Canadian sighed as he looked down at his friend. "Wow 'em, Ames..." He bent down slightly to embrace her, and the redhead slipped her arms around him, hugging him back. Adam held his breath, savoring the moment of such close contact with her.

After a moment, she pulled back and glanced up at him. "Well, I'd better go out there," she said, noting that her theme music, "It Just Feels Right," had just begun to play.

"See you later..."

Amy winced as she pulled herself up to her feet after losing the match via a big powerbomb by Joanie. She saw the referee about to raise the woman's arm in victory, but the redhead came over and grabbed her friend's hand instead. Joanie looked over at her, a smile on her face, and a feeling of great respect toward the other diva swept through her. The fans' cheering was nearly deafening as they showed their appreciation of both women.

When they were backstage, Joanie nudged Amy on the shoulder. "Well, this is it, Amy...You're going to be number one in the women's division - and you deserve it."

"I could never even come close to what you've done in this business, Joanie. You have done so much for all of us."

"Oh, come on - you're the best female wrestler in this company, and you know it." The raven-haired woman laughed sardonically. "It's really ironic, isn't it? I go from wrestling men exclusively because of my size and strength - which goes back to my training days - and I get reduced to wrestling only women later on in my WWF career." She met the redhead's hazel eyes, which looked disappointed. "I'm sorry, Amy - I didn't mean it like that. It's not that I didn't enjoy wrestling you and the other women. It's just that I am so much stronger than all the rest of you that...You know."

"I know, Joanie," Amy said. "And I don't blame you. As wrestlers, we're supposed to make the matches look convincing - which I think we managed to accomplish out there tonight - but I know you're not going to go out there and make it look like we're really _hurting _you. I mean, there's no way I could ever take you in a fair fight."

Joanie patted her friend on the shoulder. "I wouldn't ever fight you, hon. Now, Stephanie McMahon, the little rich princess, she's another story." Her expression changed from a pleasant smile to an angry, disapproving scowl.

"Oh, Joanie..."

"You know what?" the woman asked as she placed the Women's championship belt on top of her bag. "She's not even worth it...hell, _Paul _isn't worth it. I'm moving on - to bigger and better things. And I'm letting go of all the anger and bitterness in the process...because I'm bigger than that."

Amy smiled, but the feeling she had in her heart was not without sadness. "Daily affirmation with Joanie Laurer, huh?"

The muscular diva winked. "Darn right!"

The redhead looked at her friend wordlessly for a moment, then suddenly felt as though she might burst into tears. "Damnit, Joanie...I'm really going to miss you."

Joanie looked seriously at the other women. "I'll miss you, too, Ames..." She reached out and hugged her friend and fellow WWF diva.

--

"So, we're all set?" Chris Jericho asked the group of wrestlers in his room. "We turn out the lights, Amy brings her here, and then we yell 'Surprise!'"

"Yeah, I think we all got that part, Chris," Jay quipped.

"Just checking, Junior..." The blond man gestured as he regarded the man nearest the door. "Kurt, you get the lights. Amy should be back here with Joanie in a minute or so."

"Gotcha," Kurt Angle said as he moved closer to the light switch by the hotel room door. He flipped it, placing the room in complete darkness, and the group remained silent until there was a knock on the door.

Out in the hallway, Amy shook her head, feigning frustration. "Don't tell me Chris is sleeping already!"

"That party animal asleep at this hour?" Joanie asked incredulously. "He's probably out. Wouldn't surprise me." She smirked, knowing her friend's reputation for going out to clubs on nearly a nightly basis and living it up with the ladies.

"Well, would you look at this?" Amy said as she turned the doorknob. "The door's unlocked." She pushed it open, and the women were met with a chorus of "Surprise!" as the lights suddenly went on.

Joanie looked genuinely surprised as she glanced around the room at all of her friends. Chris came forward and gave her a hug. "Oh, my God, I can't believe you guys!"

"Hey," Jericho said as he gazed into her blue-gray eyes, "we couldn't let you leave without a going away party! After all, you are the best Wonder of the World."

The diva smiled, feeling her eyes filling up with tears. "And I bet it was all the idea of our 'party host' to hold it here." She threw her arms around the man again, enveloping him in an even bigger hug than he'd given her.

Chris Benoit approached, a smile on his face as he regarded Joanie. "I just wanted to say that you are the toughest woman I have ever met. Your strength is amazing, and you have given me some of my best challenges in the squared circle. I want to wish you nothing but the best of luck in your future endeavors. You deserve it, Joanie..."

Joanie smiled at the Canadian Crippler, putting her hand out for a handshake, but Benoit instead put his arms around her for a warm hug. At this point, the raven-haired woman was softly sobbing.

Kurt Angle expressed his appreciation of the Ninth Wonder next, and one-by-one, each of the wrestlers, male and female alike, had some kind words for Joanie. Before long, Chris had to run to the bathroom to retrieve a box of Kleenex.

Later on, as the group were enjoying the party, Joanie sidled up to Adam. She'd noticed him watching Amy, although the redheaded diva seemed oblivious of his scrutiny. "You really care for her, don't you?"

"What?" Adam turned at the sound of the woman's voice. He hadn't noticed her approach him. He glanced back at Amy, then looked into Joanie's eyes. "Well, yeah, of course I do."

"Why don't you tell her how you feel?"

"What do you mean? She knows I care about her."

"Well, yes, but she doesn't know how much," Joanie said. She smiled, realizing she was treading uncharted waters. Well, maybe not quite - she was sure that Jay, being Adam's best friend, had broached this subject with the man on at least one occasion.

Adam eyed the beautiful, muscular diva. "Well...I don't want to scare her off or anything. That's the last thing I'd want to happen."

"Talk to her," Joanie said. "Somehow, I don't think she would be frightened. Amy is a great person. You might be surprised how she would react."

Adam absorbed the woman's words, then turned back to gaze at the redhead. Joanie was so right - she _was_ a great person.


	6. Chapter 6

_July 2001_

The WWF had been undergoing a bit of a transformation of sorts over the last couple of months. This was mostly behind the scenes so far, but it was slowly but surely coming to fruition.

Like all of the superstars, Amy had mixed feelings about having WCW wrestlers join the fold that was the WWF. Over the past several months, ECW, her former company, had folded under, and a few of the company's former stars had joined the federation. Amy couldn't have been happier about _that_, because pretty much all the ECW talent had been great, and she was reunited with old friends.

Some of the WCW people were friends as well. Shane Helms was Matt's best friend, aside from Amy and Jeff, and Shannon Moore was a close friend as well. She knew that Chris had many friends from the dying company as well, and that he was one of the people happier with the new developments.

"Hey, y'all! It's great to see you again!"

Amy turned her head at the sound of the voice and jumped up from the small table she was sharing with Matt and Jeff.

"Shane! How have you been?" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around the dark-haired man, who hugged her tightly.

"I'm great," he replied in a southern accent that matched that of the Hardy brothers. "Let me look at you - it's been so long." He held her back, taking in the long red hair, the happy sparkle in her hazel eyes, the smile playing at her lips, the black cargo pants, blue baby tee and clunky shoes she wore. "You look beautiful, Ames...as always," Shane said with a grin.

"Hey, what about us?" Matt, who was normally known for his dry sense of humor, joked as he stood up and spun in a 360-degree circle, arms spread out at his sides. "How do _we _look?"

Shane laughed, as did Jeff and Amy. "You look...just like a Matt Hardy," the other man quipped. "Besides, Jeff is the pretty one of the two of you."

Matt pretended to sulk while his younger brother laughed even harder. Then, each brother exchanged hugs with their friend. "Hey, it's great to have you aboard with the WWF," Jeff said excitedly. "Maybe someday soon, we'll get to work together."

Amy looked up, spotting Adam and Jay as they entered the dining hall from the arena hallway. She stood up and waved, instantly catching the eye of the taller blond.

"Adam and Jay," Amy began when they were standing before them, "meet our old friend Shane Helms. Shane, these are two of our best friends." She gestured toward one to the other as she spoke their names.

"Hey, good to know you," Shane said as he shook hands with Adam and then Jay. "Any friends of little Ames here are friends of mine."

"Hey, what are we? Chopped liver?" Matt questioned.

"Yeah, that just about sums it up." Helms' answer elicited laughs from the small group, particularly the redhead.

More WCW wrestlers began filing into the dining area, some one-by-one, others in pairs or small groups. They were introduced to the WWF wrestlers by Vince, Linda, Stephanie and Shane McMahon. The McMahons had felt it would be a better way to break the ice to have a little, informal meeting in cozy settings.

While Stephanie came by to whisk Shane Helms away to meet other people, Shane McMahon approached their group with two beautiful blondes.

Amy's guard instantly went up. The taller, thinner woman's smile looked slightly nervous and uncertain, but warm, while the other one's looked fake and plastered on her face. Instinctively, she didn't like her. It was just an odd feeling she had.

"Ladies," Shane said, "meet Amy Dumas, Matt and Jeff Hardy, Jay Reso and Adam Copeland - better know as Lita, Matt and Jeff Hardy, Christian and Edge...guys, this is Stacy Keibler..." He gestured toward the tall, obviously natural blonde. "...and Torrie Wilson." And then, he gestured to the one Amy suspected was trouble.

"It's nice to meet you all," Stacy said sincerely, her smile a little less nervous. She shook each of their hands in turn. After, she turned to Amy alone. "I've seen you on TV plenty of times - you do really amazing stuff in the ring."

"Thank you," the redhead replied with a smile. She instantly liked the young woman.

"I hope I can be as good a wrestler as you are someday," Stacy said.

"I'm sure you can be...you just have to work really diligently at it."

The one named Torrie was currently checking out each of the guys, ignoring Amy and Stacy's conversation. Amy noticed that out of the corner of her eye. The platinum blonde had a silly grin plastered on her face, and she twirled a lock of hair around her forefinger, a habit Amy found very annoying.

Torrie shook hands with each of the men, not seeming concerned about the redhead in the least. She flashed the smile again, and Amy again thought how phony she thought it was. However, she was pleased to see that the guys didn't seem to think Torrie was any big deal.

Shane McMahon, who was still standing nearby, watched as the bleached blonde made small talk with Matt and Jeff. To Amy, it was obvious that the elder McMahon child was smitten with Torrie. The realization made her want to gag.

Amy felt a sense of relief when Chris Jericho made his way over to her. _Ahh...saved by the bell_, she thought.

"Hey, Ames," the blond man said with a warm smile.

Before the redhead could utter a reply, Torrie Wilson looked over and waved. "Chris!"

Jericho glanced the woman's way unenthusiastically, and Amy knew him well enough to see that he was refraining from rolling his clear blue eyes. "Torrie..."

The blonde stepped away from the Hardys without so much as a word and bounded their way.

"Oh, great," Chris muttered softly to Amy. His features transformed so that he was now wearing as broad and fake a grin as that which was on Torrie's face.

"Hey, it's been a long time," the newcomer said. "How have you been, Chris?" She pointed a long, manicured finger at him.

"I've been great, thanks...And you?"

"Well, I'm sorry that WCW is no more, but I can't tell you how happy I am to be here!" Torrie replied, bouncing ever so slightly.

Amy turned her head away, afraid she would stick a finger down her throat at any moment. It was one thing to have a bubbly personality ala Trish Stratus, but another altogether to have one like Torrie evidently did. Unlike Trish - who had once planned to go to medical school - this girl was an airhead.

"Oh, well, I'd better get back to Booker," Chris cut in. "We were in the middle of a fascinating conversation." He trotted away, leaving the redhead fuming as she stared after him with disbelief. She decided she would somehow get her friend back for leaving her alone with this bimbo. She turned back to the smiling Torrie and, not knowing what to say, flashed a smile back.

"Hey," Torrie said softly, in an almost conspiratorial voice. She stepped directly beside the redhead and glanced over at the group of men with whom Amy had been standing. "Is the tall blond guy seeing anyone?"

Amy's head turned sharply as she stared incredulously at the woman. Torrie was obviously talking about Adam. _Yeah_, she thought, _he and I are engaged._ Aloud, she said, "No...no, he isn't." She wanted to kick herself the instant the words left her mouth.

"Cool," Torrie drawled, her blue eyes fixed onto the sight of the tall, handsome Canadian. "He's really gorgeous!"

Amy seethed inside, a surprisingly sudden, intense feeling of jealousy swirling through her. Torrie Wilson was the _last _person she would ever want to see with Adam - or _any _of her friends, for that matter. And Chris obviously disliked her, so she realized that her instincts about this woman were correct.

Quick as a flash, before Amy could react, Torrie left and sidled up to Adam, who was talking with Jay, Stacy and Shane Helms, who had returned. She placed one hand on the blond man's arm to get his attention and started chatting up a storm. Adam smiled back uncertainly, looking slightly confused as he tried to keep up.

Amy stared at them, her anger increasing in bushels by the moment.

--

Later, back at the hotel they were staying in, Amy found Chris in the lounge area and approached him.

"Hey...can I talk to you a moment?"

Chris looked up at her from the paper he was reading. "Hey, Ames...you know you can always talk to me - about anything." He gave her a friendly wink.

Amy glanced uncertainly around the nearly empty room and sat down beside her friend. The only other occupants were an elderly couple and teenaged boy with a hand-held video game.

"By the way, thanks a lot for leaving me alone with that woman," the redhead said with a frown, her voice tinged with annoyance. "I _really_ appreciated it!"

"Eh...sorry about that," the man said. "Let's just say I've never been fond of Torrie Wilson." He made a face as if to prove his statement.

"Chris," Amy said softly, "tell me something...you, as a man who loves women and never hesitates to chase after them - why don't you like this Torrie?"

The blond man chuckled as he ran a hand through his long hair. "Well...for starters, she seems so fake..."

"'_Seems_ so fake'?" Amy cried.

"What I mean is...not her hair color or her breasts, Ames - her personality. A little too contrived. And most people can see right through her, although of course, there are some exceptions..."

The redhead nodded.

"...There were rumors about this girl back in WCW - that a few months after she first started working there, she had an affair with Kevin Nash."

"Big Sexy?" Amy questioned.

"None other," Chris replied. "And he was married at the time, too. Basically, Nash's marriage fell apart when his wife found out about it. Kevin and Torrie kept seeing each other - that is, until Torrie dumped him."

The diva, rapt, leaned slightly forward and shook her head.

"She's a man-eater," Chris stated. "Right after that, she started seeing Ric Flair's son, David. But she tossed him over like yesterday's garbage for Billy Kidman, but then _he _caught her in the sack with Curt Hennig."

"Mr. Perfect?" Amy asked, her eyes slightly widened.

The blond man nodded. "And Eddy Guerrero, whom you know is one of my oldest and best friends, told me she tried to get with him as well - but he told her to take a hike because, number one, he was married, and number two, he wasn't interested anyway."

"God, that is all just unbelievable!"

"That's not all of it," Jericho said evenly as his clear blue eyes met his friend's hazel ones. "She came onto _me_ as well..."

"Really? And what did _you _do?" Amy questioned.

"Well, I was involved with the Nitro girl known as Fyre at the time - we dated for a good year and a half...Torrie knew this but propositioned me anyway. I rejected her. I told her I was in love with my girlfriend and that I wanted no part of her."

"Good for you!" Amy exclaimed.

The blond chuckled again, then shuddered. "Ugh...as must of a 'ladies man' you think I am, Torrie Wilson gives me the heebie jeebies."

After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "So, tell me, Ames...why the interest in this woman?"

The diva ran a hand through her long red locks and sighed. "Okay, Chris...I'm going to tell you something, but you have to _promise _me you won't say a word to _anyone_."

"Hey, you know me," he said, raising a hand as if in scout's honor. "I can keep a secret."

Amy glanced around their surroundings one more time, then leaned in closer to her friend. "Earlier, when you ditched me, she asked me about Adam's situation..."

"You mean she expressed an interest in him..."

"Right," Amy said. "But the thing is, Chris...when she did, I just got so angry, so jealous...all of a sudden, these feelings just came over me - _consumed _me."

Jericho smiled. Why was it always _they _were the last to know? Reaching over, he placed one hand on the redhead's knee and gave it a soft pat.

"I don't know quite how to tell you this, Ames...but you're in love with Adam," he whispered.

"What?!" Then, lowering her voice, Amy stared directly into the man's blue eyes. "Why do you say that?"

"Simple - because it's true...it's so obvious, Amy. And that's why you had such feelings when Torrie asked you about him."

"No, I don't think..." the redhead stammered. "I...it's not _that_...I just don't like Torrie Wilson, and I don't want to see Adam's good heart broken by her - especially after everything you just told me."

Chris smirked. "Don't worry...I don't suspect Adam would ever have any interest in the likes of her."

"Really, Chris! I don't want to see _any _of you guys with her!" Amy insisted.

The blond man smiled. "I should hope not." But he knew that his friend's reasoning of why she didn't want to see _Adam _with Torrie was a flat-out denial of her _true _feelings.

--

Adam and Jay had just returned to the hotel after a few hours of training in the ring at the arena. They were both tired and hungry and had been planning on going down to the hotel's cafe when they suddenly heard a knock on their door.

Adam instantly got up to answer, hopeful that it might be Amy who was paying them a visit. He had missed the redhead that afternoon when she'd declined his invitation to train with them. A slow grin spread across his face as he opened the door...

...But his face fell when he saw who was standing there in the hallway. Torrie Wilson, a big grin on her face, gazed coyly up at him. Somehow, he suspected that there was really nothing "coy" about this woman at all.

"Hi," she said, and, glancing past Adam, she waved at Jay as well. "I was wondering if you wanted to come grab a bite with me, Andrew...or go for a drink...?"

"My name is _Adam_," the tall blond corrected. He glanced slightly over his shoulder and noticed Jay apparently trying not to laugh - but he was failing miserably.

"Oops! Sorry," Torrie said innocently, covering her mouth with one hand. "I must have mixed your name up with the other tall, hot blond guy's name...didn't I?"

Adam arched an eyebrow. "Well, Drew's not exactly my type, but I guess the answer is 'yes.'" He couldn't help but chuckle at his own wisecrack, which elicited a near fit of giggles from the platinum blonde.

"So, does this mean you'll go grab a bite with me?" Torrie asked, clasping her hands behind her back and slightly rotating her upper torso back and forth. The gesture seemed to Adam to be a weird combination of innocence and impatience.

The Canadian turned to glance back over at his best friend, who was listening with great interest, as if anticipating his answer.

"Well," he began as he turned back to the young woman, "_Jay_ and I were going to get some food together..."

"Great!" Torrie exclaimed, smiling more broadly than Adam would have ever thought possible. He thought her face might break. "Then we'll all go together!" Then, without waiting for an invitation, she stepped into the room and stood in its center, placing herself between the two men. "We'll call it a threesome!" She burst into a nearly uncontrollable fit of giggles.

Adam and Jay exchanged glances, and behind Torrie's back, the smaller blond man rolled his eyes. Torrie began yakking up a storm, her words all blurring together as Adam cursed himself for somehow getting them into this mess.

--

Amy and Chris had continued talking in the lounge for awhile longer. Before long, the blond had suggested they go to the hotel's restaurant, as he needed his afternoon cup of coffee. Amy knew her friend was a self-admitted caffeine addict who needed his daily cup of coffee with every meal.

They were there for about ten minutes, Chris sipping his coffee and Amy nibbling on a chicken salad sandwich, when the redhead suddenly looked up, surprise registering on her lovely face. The surprise was quickly replaced by an angry frown.

Chris didn't even have to look up to realize the identity of at least one of the new occupants of the diner - Torrie Wilson's voice chattered on a mile a minute. The blond man looked nearly frantic as he quickly glanced around the area as if searching for a place to hide. When it seemed he was safe from hurricane Torrie, he turned and glanced in the direction of the voice - and was surprised.

She, Adam and Jay were just being seated by a hostess, who handed them all menus. Torrie had made sure to sit next to Adam, and she moved her chair slightly closer to him. Come to think of it, Chris shouldn't have been so surprised to see _who _the blonde was with, judging by the expression on Amy's face.

The redhead continued to frown while a myriad of emotions swept through her. She felt shocked, disappointed, regretful, saddened, furious - and she felt such disdain and jealousy that she was afraid she could go right over and punch Torrie Wilson right in the nose.

While she was staring their way, Amy suddenly shifted her focus to Adam. The blond man was gazing back at her, an odd expression on his face.

Adam paid only half his attention on Torrie as she went on and on about having been a cheerleader in high school. He heard Jay utter, "uh huh," "yeah" and "you don't say" a few times, as if to humor the chatterbox of a woman.

He was currently looking Amy's way. The redhead was seated at a nearby table with Chris Jericho, and she didn't look too happy. In fact, she looked about as _unhappy _as he felt. He wished she would come over and whisk him away from Torrie, but she didn't budge.

"...And so, that's how I ended up in WCW," the blonde was saying, the grin on her face, dimples in both her cheeks.

"Yeah, that's really great," Jay said.

Adam wanted to figure out a way to somehow get himself and Jay out of this bind, but he didn't want to be rude. He decided that after a quick snack, that was it - no more Torrie. Somehow, some way, he would manage to get Jay and himself free of her.

"Man!" Jay exclaimed an hour later, when they were back in their room. He sat down on his bed and rubbed at his eyes. "If Torrie Wilson wasn't so damn annoying, I supposed I'd want to get with her...I mean, she's hot and all, but...damn! The fact that she's such a boring, self-centered airhead just ruins it!"

"I know what you mean," Adam concurred. "I was hoping Amy or Chris would come by and rescue us from her."

"Shit! Why does she have to be so _irritating_?!"

"I guess that's just the way she is..."

"Yeah - the exact opposite of Ames, huh?" Jay said with a broad smile.

Adam thought, _That's exactly what _I_ was thinking..._


	7. Chapter 7

_RAW, One Summer Night in 2001_

Amy paced back and forth impatiently as she and Matt awaited their cue. They would be in an inter-gender tag team match against their pal Shane Helms, who was now currently known as "The Hurricane" and dressing up as a superhero in green, and, of all people, Torrie Wilson.

"Ames, will you calm down?" Matt said.

"I _can't_ calm down!" she said in a loud whisper. "How can I when I have to be in that ring against _her_?" Over the last little while since Torrie had joined the WWF, Amy had developed a strong, even physical disliking toward the blonde.

Matt reached out for her arm. "Come on, Amy...it'll be okay. Just don't hurt her."

The redhead pulled out of her friend's grip. "Oh, please! You don't give me enough credit, Matt! You _know _I'm a true professional. I wouldn't _dream _of hurting her - not even her precious, pretty little plastic face - _unless _she hurts me first!" Amy suddenly realized how catty she sounded, and she didn't like it in the least.

It was as if the man read her mind. "Jeez - meow!" Matt said with a slight chuckle. "What's this all about? - really! I know she's a bit tiring and self-absorbed, but-"

"But isn't that _enough_?" Amy said, her hands clenched at her sides. "I really don't look forward to getting in the ring with her. A wrestler of my ability should only face _other wrestlers_!"

"Well, you enjoyed working with Trish, even back when she didn't know a single maneuver," the dark-haired man pointed out.

"True - but Trish is a cool person - and has a brain, _and _is not full of herself to the point that she won't discuss anything _but_!"

"Okay, okay," Matt said, putting his hands up in an 'I give up' mode. "You got me there."

They looked up, Amy sharply, a look of disappointment crossing her features, as they heard the Hardy Boyz music. That was their cue, and there was no more stalling. Amy ran a hand through her red hair, and, glancing over at Matt, said, "Okay, let's get this over with..."

Amy was still plagued by bitterness so intense she could almost taste it as she stared across the ring at Torrie. She recalled every word Chris had told her about the woman, and, as they locked up, she twisted the blonde's arm behind her back in a hammerlock. She gave the limb a slightly extra twist, but not nearly enough to hurt her.

Torrie struggled for a moment or two, but then somehow managed to twist her way out of the hold and whipped the redhead into the ropes. Amy knocked her to the canvas with a dropkick, then went to work on her left arm again.

The match went smoothly, particularly when the men were in the ring together. Matt and Shane hadn't wrestled each other since the indy days, and Amy actually enjoyed seeing them compete again. She even had her own opportunity to face Shane, the highlight of which saw her taking him down with a hurricanrana.

She was even actually tolerating being in the ring with Torrie when something happened to completely change her mind. The blonde landed a swift kick to the back of her neck, jarring her. Amy briefly saw stars, but when she shook off the cobwebs, she saw _red_.

For the remainder of the time during the match that she had any physical contact with Torrie Wilson, the redhead tore into the other woman more aggressively than she'd planned. As she'd told Matt earlier, she would hurt Torrie if the blonde hurt _her _first - which was exactly what ended up happening.

Lita and Matt were declared the winners after the high-flying diva executed the Twist of Fate followed by a moonsault to the other woman. Amy felt a measure of satisfaction as she pinned the helpless Torrie and then had her hand raised, along with Matt's, in victory.

--

"Wow," Jay said, shaking his head after witnessing the inter-gender tag match that had just come to an end. "Looks like Amy isn't too crazy about Torrie Wilson, either..."

Adam nodded. "Well, that was a pretty painful kick Torrie gave her." He winced as he noticed the redhead doing the same thing in the ring as referee Mike Chioda raised her arm. "I better go see how she's doing," he added. "See you in a few."

The tall Canadian left the locker room and made his way out to the hall. He walked until he reached the curtain leading out to the arena - just in time to run into Shane Helms and Torrie Wilson. He noticed the blonde was wincing herself, kneading her left shoulder. As she caught sight of Adam, she straightened up and applied the smile.

"Why, hello..." She allowed her blue eyes to scan him up and down, taking in the bare muscular chest and light blue tights he wore in preparation for his later match.

"Oh, hey, Torrie..." He looked past her and smiled at Shane. "Hey, Shane."

"Hey, Adam," the other man said. "Catch our match?"

"Of course I did," Adam said. He never missed _any _of Amy's matches. "Nice work," he added, addressing Shane but not Torrie. The young woman's ringwork was horrendous. He knew she had never really wrestled before, but he sensed that even if she underwent formal training, she still wouldn't improve much.

"Hey, how about a drink later on?" Torrie asked, reaching over and touching Adam on the upper arm. She tilted her head to one side and gazed up at him adoringly.

It was just at that very moment that Amy and Matt stepped through the curtain, and the redhead's expression darkened as she surveyed the scene. Adam gazed at her, gently shaking free of Torrie's hand. Would the woman _ever _get a clue?

"Hey, Ames," he began, "I saw your match."

"Yeah," she replied disinterestedly. She glanced at Torrie Wilson and then back up at Adam. "I need to get to my locker room and shower." She stepped past the others and sauntered down the hallway.

"Hey, wait up!" Shane called after his friend, but the redhead didn't stop or slow down. He started after her.

"I'll see you later," Torrie said with a small smile. She too began walking down the hall, glancing once over her shoulder back at Adam, who rolled his eyes when she turned to face forward again. He ran a quick hand through his blond locks and sighed.

"Matt, what's up with Amy lately?"

The dark-haired man shook his head. "Oh, she's just a little cranky lately, that's all," he said. "She doesn't care too much for Torrie Wilson," he added, lowering his voice even though the blonde woman was gone.

"Well, that's understandable, but why is she acting like she's mad at _me_?" Adam questioned.

"I don't know," Matt said. "I guess it's just because she just happens to catch you with Torrie a lot lately."

"Hey, that's not my fault," the tall man insisted. "She always turns up at the wrong time...hell, _any_ time is the wrong time! She's been driving Jay and me nuts. It's like she wants to get with me or something."

"And? Do you have any interest in her?" Matt asked.

"Nah - I'm just too nice to be rude to her," Adam explained. "But I just wish she'd take a hint and leave me alone."

Matt laughed heartily. "You know, man, you could make really good use of the situation - if you really wanted to...but since you seem to _not _want to, just do what the anti-drug slogans always said - just say _no_."

--

After having spoken briefly with Shane out in the hall, Amy let out a little shriek of anger and frustration as she slammed the door to the locker room she and Trish Stratus were sharing.

"Oh, God! Amy!" the petite blonde exclaimed, one hand clutching at her chest. "You scared the life out of me!" Then, seeing her friend's mood, she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Do you really have to ask?" the redhead snapped. She instantly regretted taking her anger out on the other woman. "I'm sorry, Trish," she said with a sigh. "In answer to your question, two words - _Torrie Wilson_!"

"Oh," Trish said, nodding with understanding. She didn't particularly like Torrie all that much, either. The only other diva who seemed to genuinely like her was Stacy Keibler, but then again, with her kind, innocent nature, the tall young woman seemed to take a liking to everyone.

"Did you see my match just now?" Amy asked.

"No, I missed it - I was getting my hair and makeup done, and it took the better part of the last half-hour. What happened?"

"That dumb twit kicked me really hard in the back of my neck...I wouldn't have _expected _her to be able to actually hurt me, but she did," the other woman said. "She has _no _idea what she's doing in that ring, Trish - she has no business being _in _this business!"

Trish arched an eyebrow. "Well, unfortunately, she _is_...gee, I'm really looking forward to my first match with her," she said sarcastically.

Amy, finally settled down at bit, seated herself on the small couch in the room, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"Hey," the blonde said as she sat down beside her friend, "I was talking with Jay earlier tonight...He said a bunch of wrestlers were going to be hanging out at this cool club. You know, unwind and stuff...You're welcome to come with us."

"Thanks," Amy said. "Chris actually mentioned this to me earlier tonight. It _would_ be nice to just go out again and just have fun."

Trish smiled. "That's the spirit!"

--

After the last RAW match of the night, Adam and Jay met up with Chris for their visit to a club called _The Star Palace_. They were going in Jericho's rental truck, and as they stood outside the vehicle in the parking lot, Adam caught a glimpse of Trish Stratus as she headed their way. But his attention immediately shifted to the person accompanying her.

Amy, who still looked a bit agitated, as she had earlier that night, was at the blonde's side. She was wearing a metallic silver tank top and a black miniskirt, a pair of clunky sandals adorning her feet. Electric blue-colored toenails peeked out from the toes of her shoes, her fingernails painted the same color. She had styled her hair a bit so that it fell in soft waves that framed her lovely face. Adam could not take his eyes off her, and he swallowed hard as she neared.

"Hey, ladies," Chris greeted and smiled at the duo.

"Hi," Trish said with a smile. She exchanged hellos with the other two blond men as well, although Adam didn't focus on her when he muttered his greeting.

"Hey, Ames," the tall Canadian said, reaching out to touch her bare arm. "How are you?"

"I'm okay."

Adam knew she was lying. She'd answered too quickly, but on top of that, she looked away from his eyes after speaking. He knew that, somehow, _something _had changed in their friendship over the course of the past month and a half, and it caused a sharp pain in his heart. He only wished he knew what it was, or what he'd _done _that had caused the redhead to suddenly give him more or less of the cold shoulder.

"Shall we?" Chris was asking the rest of the group. He had unlocked one of the SUV's doors and gestured toward the its interior. On his cue, everyone got in and they were off.

Throughout the short ride to the club, it was mostly Trish and Jay who conversed, while the others were silent. Amy sat in the front seat beside Jericho, who had turned on the radio, which he had tuned to a local hard rock and heavy metal station. Adam sat in the back with his fellow Toronto natives, whom before long, he realized were holding hands. He arched an eyebrow upon the realization that Jay and Trish had apparently become an item.

"Well, we're here, people," Chris announced as he put the car in park on the street in front of the small club. He glanced at Amy, whom he noticed looked a bit depressed. He wanted to talk to her, but he decided that now was not the time or the place. Besides, she was here to enjoy herself tonight.

The five wrestlers made their way to the door, Chris leading the pack. As they stepped through and into the club's interior, they were met by loud, pulsating music, and Amy felt a small measure of regret over having come. She really wasn't in much of a partying mood. She'd been avoiding Adam lately, and the crazy part was that she didn't even know _why._

Yes, she did...Torrie Wilson - for some reason, seeing the platinum blonde with her tall, Canadian friend drove her to near insanity. Why would it bother her so much, though? She'd seen Adam with Nora Greenwald on more than one occasion, and they were pretty friendly. In fact, she suspected that the small blonde had a bit of a crush on him. But Nora was her friend, and she liked and respected her - there was _nothing _about the other blonde that she liked or respected.

Amy instantly sat down at an empty table, running one hand through her red hair. She decided she would have a couple of drinks before the night was up. She glanced directly ahead of her as Adam seated himself there. Chris said something about checking out the "scene," and Jay and Trish trotted off to the dance floor, the petite blonde's laughter trailing as the man said something funny.

The redheaded diva looked down the table at her hands, which she had placed and clasped in front of her. She knew she was probably being very obvious in her avoidance, but she couldn't help it.

"Penny for your thoughts," she suddenly heard Adam say.

Amy sighed, tucking a lock of hair behind one ear as she looked up at him. Her eyes were magnetically drawn to his, and she found that she couldn't look away. He was her _friend_, and it wasn't fair to him that she distance herself from him just because he chose to hang out with Torrie.

Finally, she said, "I'm just a little tired." _That _was a lie.

"How's your neck?" Adam questioned, a look of concern flashing across his handsome face. "I noticed that Torrie got you pretty good earlier..."

Amy felt a surge of anger at his words. What was he doing - rubbing her nose in that fact? How _dare _he! "Let me tell you something, pal," she spat, pointing an almost accusatory finger at him. "Torrie Wilson couldn't hurt me on her best day and on my _worst_!"

"Jeez...sorry," Adam said, putting his hands up at his sides. "Why are you so touchy?"

"I don't like having my nose rubbed in the fact that someone like _her _actually made me feel some pain, _that's _why!" The redhead's face grew angrier.

"Ames, calm down...I don't know why you've been acting so weird lately, but I'm not trying to antagonize you."

They engaged in a short, silent staring contest for a moment before Amy finally eased up a bit. "I'm sorry," she said with a sigh. "I've just been under a lot of stress lately, and that kick Torrie gave me _did _hurt." She reached back with her right hand to rub at her neck.

"Why don't I-" Adam's words were cut off as a waitress stepped over to their table and asked if they wanted drinks. They quickly ordered some, and when the woman was gone, he continued.

"Anyway, I was going to ask you if you wanted a neck rub," the blond stated as he looked directly into her hazel eyes. He was happy to be spending these moments alone with her, even if they _were _in a noisy, smoky club with at least two-hundred other people.

"Actually, that would be _so _nice."

Adam rose and came around to stand behind Amy's chair, his large yet soft hands instantly on her neck and the area where shoulder met neck. His hands were warm as they caressed her skin and muscles, and the redhead felt a series of chills chasing one another up her spine at his touch. She let out a soft sigh and let her head drop forward so that her chin touched her chest.

Adam momentarily held his breath as he continued to knead the diva's soft skin and supple muscles, his eyes focused on her long red hair. He leaned over slightly, placing his face closer to her head and inhaled deeply of her scented tresses. She smelled like honeysuckle and lilac.

He continued to massage her neck for several minutes until the waitress returned with their drinks. "Ah, nectar of the gods," he joked as he returned to his seat and began to drink his beer.

Amy giggled softly as she held up her Singapore sling. "I'll drink to that." They touched glasses.

The redhead turned to watch Jay and Trish bumping and grinding on the dance floor, smiling as she noticed how happy their friends looked. She spotted Chris over by the bar, chatting with a young brunette. After a moment, she turned back to Adam, who was gazing intensely at her. She smiled uncertainly, wondering why she suddenly felt so nervous in front of Adam. "What?"

"I was just wondering why you were so upset earlier..."

"Oh." She swallowed a long sip of her drink, as if bolstering the courage to tell him the truth. Maybe if she was drunk, or at least tipsy, he wouldn't be so angry with her when she told him what she was really feeling.

"Well, if you must know, it's because I had to be in the ring with Torrie Wilson..." She took another gulp of the beverage and met his green eyes expectantly.

Adam nodded. "Yeah, even though she was in WCW for three years, she can't wrestle."

"It's not only that," Amy admitted. "I genuinely _dislike _her. I didn't like her from the moment we met." She downed a bit more of her drink, and Adam's expression darkened. _Uh oh, here it comes_, she thought.

To her surprise, Adam didn't say a word about or against what she'd just said about Torrie. "Take it easy with that stuff, Ames." He himself had so far only taken a couple of sips of his beer.

"Don't worry about it," Amy said with a smile. "Trish told me she's the designated driver for tonight - amazing, isn't it? I mean, Chris is going to let someone else drive his vehicle."

After a brief, comfortable silence, Adam looked over at the dance floor, then back to the diva. "Want to dance?"

"Sure." Amy stood up, a little wobbly on her feet, and, giggling, allowed Adam to lead her to the dance floor. She stumbled a tiny bit as the blond man put his arms around her.

"Ames, I think you've had enough...you can't hold your liquor."

"Hey, I'm a big girl," she protested. "Maybe I _want_ a second drink..."

"You won't forgive yourself in the morning," Adam warned, which caused the redhead to burst out laughing. She turned her head slightly and looked over at the couple dancing next to them.

"Hey, look," she said, glancing back at the tall Canadian. "It's the newest lovebirds."

Trish and Jay smiled and continued dancing beside their friends. "Wow, Ames, you're tipsy," Jay remarked with amusement.

They continued to dance for awhile, although Amy was still giggling and _still _a bit tipsy. Adam was amused and was enjoying this time with her. She was so darned cute.

Suddenly, he looked up sharply, a feeling of disbelief coming over him as he saw a woman behind Amy and tapping her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," Torrie Wilson said, the plastic smile plastered to her face, "but can I cut in?"

Amy stared at the other woman, a look of disbelief coming to her own face. In her drunken state, her first impulse was to take a slug at the blonde, but instead, she took a step back, stumbling slightly.

"Oh, Amy," Torrie said condescendingly, "you're in _no _condition to dance!" She laughed as if she too had gotten a drink or two in her. The woman craftily edged her way closer to Adam, smiling up at him as she forced her way to dancing with him.

Chris, seeing what had happened and noticing Amy standing there unsteadily, instantly came over. He put one arm around the redhead, gently ushering her back to their table, a beer in his hand. "Come on, Ames..."

The redhead sat down heavily, resting her head on one hand as she tilted it in the direction of the dance floor. As she watched Adam dancing with Torrie Wilson, she felt like she might cry at any moment. However, just as quickly, the sorrow disappeared, only to be replaced by anger.

Chris just looked at his friend and shook his head sympathetically.


	8. Chapter 8

_SummerSlam, August 12, 2001_

Adam was in an Intercontinental title match against the former ECW's Lance Storm and was excited about it for more reason than one. First, Lance was an impeccable, technically sound competitor, and the two would have a fantastic match. Secondly, in the short period of time that the man had been with the WWF, they'd become friends, as Lance was one of Chris Jericho's best friends, the two going back a long ways. Third, and perhaps best of all, Edge was slated to win the Intercontinental title, his first reign since June two years ago, in which he held the belt for one day only.

As he'd hoped and expected, the match went by very well, and at one point, Jay ran out to interfere, as Christian was supposed to "help" Edge. In keeping up with the future breakup of the team, Christian ran in to spear Lance Storm, but instead, he got his brother. The inadvertent spear didn't matter, because Edge got back up and executed his DDT finisher to win the match and the Intercontinental championship along with it.

After the referee handed Edge the belt and raised his arm in victory, Christian rushed over to give his brother a hug. This actually marked the beginning of a new angle between the two Canadians.

Amy watched the match on a TV monitor backstage, her eyes glued to the screen. She felt a surge of emotion as Edge was declared the winner - Adam looked so happy. She reached out tentatively from where she stood in front of the set and touched his image on the screen.

She didn't have a match scheduled for the pay-per-view. For the last week or so, she'd had to feign a limp after Lita had been jumped on Sunday Night Heat by Ivory, Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson. She'd hated when Torrie had gotten hold of her leg so Ivory could kick her. It had been for the sake of the storyline, but she couldn't help feeling helpless when the blonde had held her while she was down on the floor.

A small smile crossed her face as she witnessed Jay hugging Adam in the ring. She wanted so much to hug the tall blond, for she was really happy for and proud of him. Lifting her right hand in a thumbs up gesture, the redhead said softly, "Way to go, Adam..."

--

"Hey, Jeff, can I talk to you, man?" Shane Helms asked as he walked into the locker room the Hardys were sharing. He'd really been looking for Matt, but the elder Hardy was nowhere to be found.

"Sure, Shane...what's up?" the rainbow-haired man said.

Helms sat down beside his friend, thoughtfully stroking his goatee for a moment before speaking. After a moment, he said, "I don't know quite how to say this, but...well, it might be a bit awkward because of the friendship we've had all these years, but..."

"Just spit it out," Jeff said. He wondered where this was going.

"I want to ask Amy out," the other man blurted.

Jeff's eyebrows raised in surprise. "What??"

"You see, I told you it would be awkward..."

"Okay, so you want to ask Amy out...So, go ahead. I mean, what's stopping you?" the younger man asked.

"Well, we've been friends for so damn long, I don't know how she'll react," Shane explained. "I've always liked her, though...I just never thought _she_ would like _me_ that way."

"Well, you never know until you ask...why don't you talk to her, man?" the younger Hardy suggested.

"I will...I guess I'll go find her right now. Thanks, Jeff..."

"Anytime, Shane. Good luck!"

--

"Come in!" Amy called in answer to the knock that suddenly came on the door to her locker room. She had no idea who was paying her a visit, but part of her hoped it was Adam.

She didn't get her wish. Shane Helms stuck his head in and peered in at her. "Oh, hi, Shane."

"Hey, Ames..." He stepped into the small room and glanced around, relieved that no one else was in the room with her. Good - they were alone. "Umm...can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course you can...what's up?" the redhead asked, sitting down on the small couch in the middle of the room. She tucked one leg beneath her and patted the other cushion for her friend to sit beside her.

Shane sat down and gazed at her uncertainly, a feeling of great nervousness coming over him. He realized he was being silly - Amy was his friend and had been for years. He'd never felt anything but at ease with her, and now should be no different.

"Well, err...Ames, I just wanted to ask if...well..."

Amy nodded, waiting for him to finish. She wondered what was on his mind, as he had never been like this before.

"...Would you go out with me?"

The diva blinked, taken aback. Had she heard him correctly? Shane Helms was _asking her out_?? After a moment, she found her voice.

"You mean on a date?"

"Yeah," Shane said. "A date..."

Amy blinked again as she studied her friend's face. Looking directly into his brown eyes, she said, "Wow - well, that definitely took me by surprise!"

Helms reddened slightly. Who was he kidding? Why would she want to date _him_? "Okay...sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you...just forget I asked." He stood up and was about to leave, but Amy grabbed him by the wrist, stopping him.

"No, wait, Shane..." He turned around and met her hazel eyes. "...You know what? I think it would be nice," Amy said without really thinking. "Yes...yes, I'll go out with you...We've been friends for a long time, so why not?"

"Really?" The man's face brightened into a happy smile. He couldn't believe his luck. He'd been certain she would find the idea of them dating ludicrous.

"Yeah," the redhead said. "When and where?"

"Well, how about tonight, after the pay-per-view ends? We can check out this club in the area..."

"Okay, that sounds good," she said with a smile.

"Great - so it's a date," Shane said. He studied her for a moment without a word, then looked up. "Well, I'd better get my stuff together to get out of here...I'll see you later."

"See you later," Amy said with a wave.

When Shane was gone, she stared at the closed locker room door, wondering what in the hell she was doing...

--

Adam and Jay returned to their locker room together, and the taller of the two blonds hefted the Intercontinental belt higher on his shoulder. "What a rush!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe it - I can't believe how good it feels to win this thing again!"

"Well, enjoy it while you can, dude," Jay said with a smile. "Before you know it, it'll be mine!"

"Whatever," Adam said with a smirk. "You just can't let me enjoy my moment, can you?"

The other man laughed. "You know me too well..."

As the taller blond placed the belt on top of his suitcase, he looked back up. "Hey, have you seen Amy tonight?"

"Err...yeah, I saw her back here earlier - right before I ran out to do my spot, in fact."

"I should go see her," Adam said.

"Well, you better shower first," Jay cracked. "I don't think she'll care too much for you all sweaty and stuff." He made a face as he teased his best friend.

Adam reached out, pretending to take a swing at him. The shorter man ducked out of the way, laughing. "Go on, I'll watch your precious belt for you..."

--

It took Amy a few minutes to decide what to wear for her date with Shane later on. She chose a blue tank dress made of a stretchy metallic fabric and put all her hair up. She was just slipping into a pair of heels when there was a knock on the locker room door.

Trish, who was sharing the room with her, jumped up upon seeing Amy was putting on her shoes. She opened the door and smiled as she saw Adam standing there. "Hey, Mr. New Intercontinental Champ - congratulations!" The petite Canadian smiled.

"Thanks, Trish," Adam said with a smile. "Is Amy-" He looked past her and caught sight of the redhead, who looked up and met his eyes. Swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, he found himself speechless.

"She's right there," Trish said, turning around and gesturing toward the other woman with both hands. "I'll just leave you two alone...I'm going to go see Jay."

"See you later, Trish," Amy called.

Adam only mumbled something unintelligibly, as he was still distracted by the redhead's appearance. She looked so beautiful.

He stepped into the room. "Wow...you look great," he finally said.

"Thanks," Amy said with a smile. She didn't say so, but she thought he looked great as well. He was wearing tight black leather pants and a black short-sleeved shirt with buttons. Subtly, she allowed her eyes to scan him over.

"I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to come hang out with me in my room tonight...we could watch a movie or something..."

"I can't - not tonight, Adam...I'm sorry."

Adam blinked, suddenly feeling stupid, as he hadn't realized she obviously had to have plans - why else would she be all dressed up like this? He ran a quick hand through his long blond hair and asked, "You going out tonight?"

"Yeah - I have a date with Shane Helms," she said quickly.

Adam flinched upon her last four words. He felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. "A date?" he asked after another moment of speechlessness. "With Helms?"

"Yeah...he came by earlier and asked me out. It was kind of cute," she said with a smile. "He was all nervous and everything, like he doubted I'd say yes."

"Oh." The blond didn't know what to say. His mouth suddenly went dry, and his disappointment deepened with the realization that the young woman actually seemed excited about her date. "Well...I hope you have a good time."

"Thanks."

"Okay, well...I'd better get going. Me, Jay and Trish were going to head back to the hotel after my match, so...I'll see you later." He turned to leave, but the redhead's voice stopped him.

"Adam?"

He turned back and found himself gazing directly into her eyes. He felt like he could lose himself in her hazel depths.

She came toward him, her eyes locked with his. "Come here," Amy said, holding her arms out. "I didn't even congratulate you on your title win - congratulations!"

Adam pulled her to him and held her tightly, letting out a soft sigh as her arms went around his waist. God, it felt so good to have her in his arms. "Thank you." As he closed his eyes and rubbed his chin against the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her soft auburn hair, he realized he didn't want to let her go.

--

"Hey...you look great," Shane said to Amy when they met just outside her locker room.

"Thank you," the redhead said graciously, a small, uncertain smile on her face. She felt distinctly odd about the situation, but she decided a distraction might do her some good. Lately, she had been concentrating too much on Adam - and Torrie Wilson's attentions on him. A date would take her mind off that stuff.

"Where's your rental car?" Amy asked as they walked out of the arena and to the parking lot.

"Not far...actually, right about...here," Shane replied after they walked a few more yards. He stopped in front of a silver Nissan Maxima, unlocking the passenger's side door for the diva. He opened it and held it so she could slip in, then slammed it behind her, a grin on his face.

The ride to the club was light and pleasant as their conversation, mostly small-talk, had been. Once inside the establishment, Amy and Shane sat at a small table in a less noisy corner.

"Do you want something to drink?"

Amy didn't have to think it over very long. The last time she'd drank - when ditzy Torrie Wilson had cut in on her dancing with Adam - she'd woken up the next day with a hangover.

"No," she said. "Thanks, but I'm good. I'll just have water."

"So will I, then."

The pair danced a little, but came back to their table soon after for a breather. Luckily, it hadn't been taken.

Amy studied the young man silently for awhile. Shane noticed that something was obviously on her mind.

"So...were you surprised when I asked you out?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "How could you tell?"

Helms laughed softly. "Well, the look on your face gave it away." Then, growing more serious, he said, "Ames, I'm gonna admit something right now...I've always pretty much had a crush on you."

"You have?" she asked, again genuinely surprised.

"Oh, yeah..." He nodded, smiling.

Amy smiled too, her eyes downcast. Shane was sweet. But her mind kept focusing on another man who was her friend - someone else who was also sweet...

--

Adam wearily walked up the stairs to his hotel room. Jay was not rooming with him but with Trish tonight, which actually suited him just fine. The way he was feeling, he'd rather be alone, anyway. His mood had gone south upon finding out that Amy had a date with Shane Helms. Now, even Edge's Intercontinental title win didn't matter much to him.

He stepped through the door and into the room, eyes down. When he looked back up, he froze in his tracks at what he saw.

Torrie Wilson had somehow gotten into his room. The blonde was laying on his bed, wearing a sheer white bustier, matching panties, garter belt and stockings. As he watched her in shock, she slid over onto one side and gently traced the blanket upon which she lay with one finger. A wheeled cart sat near the bed, a bucket of champagne on ice and two glasses resting atop.

Adam was so surprised that he was initially struck speechless. Torrie smiled and said in a low, soft voice, "Hello, champ...I thought you might like to celebrate your title victory!"

"How the hell did you get in my room?" Adam asked, finally finding his voice. He came to stand at the foot of the bed, staring incredulously at her.

The young woman crawled seductively over to him, looking up at him with innocent-looking blue eyes that were most definitely _not _innocent. "I told the front desk clerk I needed to get in here...I said it was an emergency..." She smiled broadly.

"Well, get out - put your clothes on, take that cart with you, and _get out_!"

It was Torrie's turn to look shocked. Her jaw dropped, and a frown overtook her face. "You can't be serious..."

"Oh, but I am...out! Now," Adam ordered angrily, gritting his teeth and pointing toward the door.

"_What _is your problem?" the blonde asked, now annoyed herself.

"Look, Torrie," he said, his ire increasing by the second. "The truth is, I have _no _interest in you whatsoever...now get your clothes on and get out of here! And if you don't do that, I will throw you out myself - bodily!"

"What's this all about, Adam? Is it about Amy?" she asked, emphasizing the redhead's name and rolling her eyes.

Adam was taken aback. Maybe Torrie wasn't as dumb as he'd thought after all. "No, it's not...and don't you say a word about her! It just so happens that I don't like sleazy tramps - and I don't fuck women I don't like, either - that's what this is all about!"

Torrie got up, rushed over and slapped Adam across the face. The tall blond man was so much more shocked that he barely reacted.

"How _dare _you!" the woman spat. "How _dare _you reject me!" She grabbed a long, silky white robe she'd dropped on the bed, slipped it on, and angrily stormed toward the door.

"Don't forget this cart," Adam said as he wheeled it toward her. Torrie, who already had the door open, nearly growled as she grabbed one of the wineglasses, hurling it at his head. Adam ducked, and it came to land with a clunk on the floor by his feet, unbroken because of the carpeting.

"You psycho bitch!" he yelled. "Stay the fuck away from me!"

Torrie flipped him off as she slipped out the door.

"Jesus Christ!" Adam cried when she was gone. "What the hell is going on around here?!"


	9. Chapter 9

_The Following Week_

Amy enjoyed herself on her first date with Shane Helms and therefore, agreed to go out with him again. A week later, on their second date, they went to dinner at a nice restaurant on a day when they had an afternoon house show.

Amy ate her salad, roast chicken, rice pilaf and vegetables heartily, but as she and Shane continued to talk, she knew she couldn't keep up this facade for much longer.

Just outside the restaurant was a small park with benches. They sat there for awhile after dinner, as it was still a bit early.

"So, how are you liking working with the WWF?" Amy asked.

"It's very cool," Shane replied. "It's a bit different from WCW, but it's what ever professional wrestler strives for."

"That is so true."

"Plus, I get to see you all the time, and that's an added bonus."

Amy met his eyes in the darkening night. He was such a sweet guy. If only...

Shane leaned closer slowly, tentatively, and placed his lips on the redhead's. He kissed her tenderly, almost in an affectionate friendship way at first, but then Amy felt his tongue enter her mouth. Abruptly, she pulled back, one hand gently but firmly pushing at his chest.

Amy gazed into Shane's surprised brown eyes and sighed. "Shane, I'm sorry...this isn't going to work...You _know _I love you, but-"

"-But it's only as a friend," Helms finished for her.

She nodded. "Yes...I'm sorry."

He smiled sadly. "Yeah, me too...actually, I was afraid of this."

"You were?"

"Yeah...you seemed so distracted - not only tonight, but when we went out last week, too."

Amy's eyes dropped slightly. "I'm sorry, Shane," she said, again apologizing profusely.

"No, don't be," the young man said. "I guess this just wasn't meant to be..." He hooked a thumb under her chin, lifting her head a bit so that their eyes met. "I'm just happy I'm fortunate enough to have you as a friend, Ames...that means more to me than you'll ever know."

Amy smiled up at him, her eyes welling up. "Oh, Shane..." As her tears spilled forth, Helms embraced her, rocking her back and forth, kissing her on the forehead.

--

"Hey," Chris Jericho greeted Adam as he entered the small hotel bar. The taller man saw his friend and slipped onto the barstool beside him.

"Hey, Chris."

The shorter blond took a sip of the beer he was holding, then said, "What's wrong, man? Jay ditch you again?"

Adam snickered. "Well, you know how it is...I may be a _natural _blond, but there is no way I can compete with Trish in 'other' areas."

"_So _true," Chris quipped with a smirk. His facial expression suddenly changed, his crystal blue eyes hardening, narrowing. "Uh oh..."

"What is it?" Adam questioned, following his friend's line of vision. And that was when he saw what had made the other man groan.

Torrie Wilson, clad in a skintight pair of blue jeans and a white tank top with obviously no bra underneath, stood just outside the bar, talking with Shane McMahon. She was flashing the smile and appeared to be flirting with the young man.

"Oh, great," Adam muttered. After a moment of silence as they both eyed the young woman warily, he said, "You wouldn't believe what that little twit did last week..."

"What?" Chris asked, a look of great interest crossing his features. He figured this would be interesting.

"I found her practically naked - and drooling - in my hotel bed. She took the liberty of getting into my room and 'offering' herself to me to 'celebrate' my Intercontinental title victory," Adam said with disgust.

"What'd you do?"

"I threw her out...she's nothing but an annoying tramp."

"Don't I know it," Chris muttered, taking another sip of his beer.

"What, she showed up in _your _room once, too?" Adam asked.

"No, she never got _that _far with me," Jericho said. "But she did come onto me, even though I had a girlfriend at the time - and she _knew _it. Junior, I could tell you stories about that whore from back in my WCW days that would make your head spin. I just hope," he added, gesturing with his beer stein toward the pair outside the bar, "for Shane O'Mac's sake, _he _sees her for what she really is..."

--

Amy sat alone in her hotel room, rummaging through some photographs of herself and some friends. She smiled as she examined a picture of Adam and her, taken a couple of months earlier at the San Diego zoo. They'd been in California for the tour, and had taken full advantage of a day off. She, Adam, Jay, Trish, Chris, Shane, Nora Greenwald, Jeff, Matt, and Stacy Keibler, whom the elder Hardy had since begun dating, had trekked to the zoo for a day of fun and freedom.

She was experiencing an extreme case of nostalgia. After her evening with Shane, for which she still felt a bit guilty, her sadness increased.

Shane had been so nice, so sweet and understanding. Still, it hurt her to have to hurt him, which she knew she must have, although he denied it. She'd cried for about an hour after he'd brought her back to her hotel room and said goodnight.

At first, when she'd begun to cry with Shane in the park outside the restaurant, it had been more or less from how touched she'd felt at his sweet words about her. Later on, she'd felt genuinely bad, overcome by sorrow. And she realized that it didn't stem solely from hurting Shane...

She reached out to gently finger the photo, tracing her forefinger over Adam's image. In the picture, he was grabbing her playfully, a huge grin on his handsome face as she laughed hysterically in his grasp.

Amy looked up sharply at the sudden knocking on her hotel room door. Quickly putting the photo back in its album along with the others, she jumped up to answer it, coming to meet the beautiful green eyes of Adam.

"Hi," he said, gazing softly at her. She looked sad, and he realized that she'd been crying, her eyes slightly red and puffy. "What's wrong?" Adam wanted to hold her in his arms and make all her pain go away.

"N-nothing," she lied. "I'm fine." She shifted her eyes from his.

Adam noticed how the redhead averted her gaze from him. Stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him, he said, "No, you're not...I _know _you, Amy. What's wrong?" He stood directly in front of her and reached out to tip her head up, one hand gently under her chin. It was a gesture identical to what Shane Helms had done not too much earlier.

Amy gazed up into his shining emerald eyes, mesmerized. She realized their brilliant colors seemed to be ever-shifting, changing. His face wore an expression of tender concern.

Finally, she spoke. "Okay...I...I broke it off with Shane," the diva confessed, breaking their eye contact for a second, then gazing back up into the blond man's eyes, "and I feel so rotten about it."

Adam blinked, taken by surprise. After seeing how happy she'd been about that first date with Helms a week earlier, he'd been certain that the pair would quickly become an item. He realized that this news, although it seemed to make the redhead upset, made _him _feel glad, even relieved.

Amy sighed and walked over to one of the beds in the room, sitting down on it. Raking a hand through her long red hair, she said, "I love Shane...and I _told _him that...but he is just my friend, and that's all he'll ever be...you know?"

Adam swallowed hard, absorbing her words. He slid over and sat near her on the same bed. "Yeah...I know," he said softly. He briefly looked away as he replayed her words in his mind. "_...he is just my friend, and that's all he'll ever be..._" The realization that the phrase probably applied to _all _her male friends stung.

He couldn't tell her how he truly felt about her now - not after what she'd just said. He didn't want to risk it. Sure, she and Shane would remain friends, but then again, their friendship went back to their teens. Adam had only been her friend for the last year and a half. That was nothing compared to the nine years the redhead had invested in the other man.

Adam again swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. He ran a hand through his long blond locks and cleared his throat, determined to lighten the mood for the sake of both of them.

"Hey...how about a movie? You owe me one from last week, you know..."

"Yeah, that would be great!" Amy said enthusiastically, a genuine smile coming to her previously sad face. Then, just as quickly, it was replaced by a frown. "But what about...Torrie?" She suddenly realized how much she despised that name.

The man's face went blank for a second, then shifted, and Adam looked at her with confusion. "Torrie? What _about_ Torrie??"

"Well..." Amy bit her lip, trying her best not to look or sound angry or jealous. "...won't she mind? I mean, you've been spending a lot of time with her lately."

Despite the way he'd been feeling a moment earlier, Adam began to laugh heartily. He couldn't believe it. Amy had actually thought...

"I'm not 'spending a lot of time' with Torrie! As a matter of fact, Ames, I can't stand her."

"Really?" the redhead asked hopefully, surprise registering on her lovely face.

"Really - _believe _me. I want no part of Torrie Wilson, and I mean that literally," Adam replied.

Amy felt a vast measure of relief. It felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She knew he was being honest, not merely _telling _her this.

"My God, I feel so stupid!" she cried, breaking into embarrassed laughter. "And here I thought you liked her!"

"No way," Adam stated, making a face. "I don't like bimbos. Never have. I like a girl with a brain, one I can carry an intelligent conversation with, one who's _herself_, whom I can be friends with," he added, gazing meaningfully over at her.

Amy bit her lip as she pondered his words. She felt a chill as goosebumps sprang up on her back.

"So..." she finally said. "Let's get to that movie."

Little did the redhead know that, just like their very first movie together, they would end up talking all the way through it. But unlike that first time, they also stayed up all night, blissfully unaware of the time.


	10. Chapter 10

_RAW, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 3, 2001_

Amy bit her lip in regret as she, Matt and Jeff watched the scene unfold before their eyes. They were witnessing the official breakup of seven-time tag team champions Edge and Christian, and it was not pretty.

Christian had run to the ring a moment earlier to "save" his brother from an attack by Lance Storm, who had been his opponent that night. But after a hug, the shorter blond nailed Edge in the head with a steel chair.

Although it was all scripted and Jay would do his best to not really hurt Adam, Amy winced as Christian picked up Edge's King of the Ring trophy - the one _he _loved so much that it was always in _his _possession - and hurled it down onto the other man. Afterward, he repeatedly pummeled his former partner - over and over again with the chair, even going so far as to place a second one under the fallen Edge's head to deliver an even more devastating one-man conchairto. What made this even sadder was that they were in Adam and Jay's hometown of Toronto...

The redhead felt she could cry out at any moment, for she knew that _some _of those chairshots must have hurt - but she remained mute.

Matt noticed her silence and said so.

"Hey, Amy - I'm surprised you're not saying anything..."

"Huh?" She looked up, her eyes broken from the horribly mesmerizing chaos on the TV monitor. "Oh...I...well, this sucks!" she finally said, her voice laced with anger. "I mean, what a stupid idea of Mr. McMahon's this is - breaking up the best tag team in the WWF!"

"Hey!" Jeff cried, a hurt expression on his face.

Amy turned toward him, playfully ruffling his colorful hair. "After _you_ guys, I mean," she laughed. "But seriously...you two, the Dudleys and those guys are the best teams in the company. Next thing you know, Vince will be splitting _you _apart!"

"Bite your tongue, woman!" Matt shouted, his dark eyes widened as he gave her a mock evil eye.

"Hey, actually, that wouldn't be such a bad idea," the younger of the two brothers said. "Without this anchor, I can _really _move on to bigger and better things - like the Intercontinental title." He pointed to his sibling on the word "anchor."

"That's true," Amy said, covering her mouth with one hand to stifle her giggles as Matt moved around her to take some playful jabs at Jeff.

After a moment, Matt spoke again. "I bet Adam and Jay are real bummed out about this, though."

"Oh, I know Adam is," the redhead agreed with a nod. He had confided in her a couple of weeks previous that, although there were probably big things on the horizon for him as a solo wrestler, he was not happy with the upcoming split. Adam had said that he didn't like the direction they were taking with the angle, either. He and Jay had grown up together and had been best friends since they were nine. Likewise, he felt things between Edge and Christian shouldn't end the way the WWF wanted.

"I'm going to go check on Adam," Amy suddenly said. She slipped out of the locker room, leaving her friends to bicker over who the better Hardy Boy was.

Amy knocked tentatively on the door to Adam and Jay's locker room. She could hear their voices from within.

"Come in!" Adam called.

The redhead opened the door and stepped inside, cautiously surveying the scene. Jay looked angry and tense, and Trish Stratus, sitting closely beside him on the small couch across the room, was trying her best to comfort him. She had one hand on his shoulder, a gentle, sympathetic expression on her pretty face.

Amy's eyes shifted over to Adam, who stood just before the couple. His emerald orbs were drawn to her, and they looked somewhat sad.

"Adam, are you okay?" Amy asked with concern as she edged closer to him. She placed one hand on his bare arm as she peered up into his handsome face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the tall blond muttered. "Physically anyway."

"What did I do to deserve this kind of punishment?!" Jay shouted, drawing both of their attention on him. He put both hands to his head, tearing at his long blond hair.

"You mean _we_," Adam corrected.

"No, I mean _I_...Let's face it, man...you're going to be a big star and get pushed like crazy...I'm just going to melt into the big pot of has-beens and be jobbed out," the other man said bitterly.

Trish placed one hand gently on his cheek, turning Jay's head so that he was gazing directly into her chocolate brown eyes. "Now you listen to _me_, Jason Reso...you are _not _a has-been. You are one of the most talented, charismatic wrestlers in this entire company...and you are _not _going to be 'melted in the pot of jobbers.'"

Jay absorbed his girlfriend's words and kept his eyes locked on hers. He realized just how lucky he was to have her. After a moment, Jay finally spoke.

"I love you, Trish," he said softly.

"I love you, too, Jay." They kissed tenderly.

Adam and Amy watched their friends for a beat, then glanced at each other. The redhead, suddenly uncomfortable, quickly shifted her eyes elsewhere.

As she averted her gaze, Amy didn't notice Adam wince. He was being reminded that he would never be as close to her as Jay and Trish were with one another.

"..._he is my friend, and that's all he'll ever be..._"

--

Later that night, Amy strode into the hotel's small bar. She was looking for Chris and found him. Her friend, who was currently climbing quickly up the WWF's ladder by feuding with The Rock, was sitting with Andrew Martin.

"Hey, guys," she said with a smile as she came over to sit on the barstool next to Chris.

"Hey, Ames," Drew greeted.

"Hey, you," Jericho smiled.

"What's up?"

"Well, believe it or not, I was just trying to talk Drew here out of making the biggest mistake of his life."

The redhead leaned in closer. "And what might that be?"

"Asking out Torrie Wilson!" Chris replied in a loud whisper, a look of horror on his handsome face.

Amy made a face of her own. She wondered if Drew knew _everything _Chris had told her about Torrie. Her guess was probably not, because she knew that the tall blond didn't like slutty girls.

"Now, Drew, _why _would you want to go and do that??" she asked.

"Ah, because she's so damn hot," the big man replied. "I know you, being a woman - a _straight _one - don't get that, but it's true..._however_, after all this guy just told me, I'm not so sure..."

"Wasn't she just screwing Shane McMahon last month?" Chris muttered after a swig of beer. "She's trash, Junior...you don't know where she's been."

"Damn," Drew said, arching an eyebrow, "if Matt wasn't already with Stacy, I'd ask _her _out...she's a really great chick...man, Hardy's a lucky man."

Amy smirked at all the "man" talk. She thought that if the level of testosterone increased anymore, she would have to leave.

All of a sudden, Chris stiffened in his seat. "Guys, you're not going to believe this, but...speaking of the devil, Torrie just stepped in..." He subtly glanced her way without turning his head.

_Great_, Amy thought. _That's just what I need. _She wondered if the blonde would try to hit on Drew right there in front of her. It seemed Torrie enjoyed hitting on her male friends in her presence.

Amy suddenly realized what she'd feared wasn't going to happen as she spied the platinum blonde slipping into a booth to join Billy Kidman, who sat several feet away.

As Torrie passed by without so much as a word, Chris exhaled the breath he'd been holding in relief. Drew turned around to stare at the young woman, not caring about being obvious. Amy turned toward her friends and rested her chin on her hands, elbows propped up on the bar.

"What's she doing now?" Chris mumbled to her.

"Nothing - she just joined Kidman at a table over there," she replied, gesturing in the general direction with a slight turn of her head.

"Good."

It was obvious that the guys would no longer be discussing Torrie, so Amy decided to change the subject.

"So, Chris...looking forward to your WCW title match against The Great One?"

"You bet, Ames...To think I finally get to win that thing - and after the three grueling years I spent in WCW and could never even get a shot at it! Ahh, what a rush!" The blond's crystal blue eyes shone in his excitement. "This is almost like the ultimate revenge, I tell ya..."

The redhead smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Well, you sure deserve it, Junior," she said, poking fun by addressing him with the name _he _always used for everyone else.

"Oh, I was _so _glad to see that asshole get his clock cleaned!" they suddenly heard Torrie's voice loudly exclaim.

Amy's ears perked, the fine hairs on the back of her neck suddenly on end, but she didn't turn around to stare at the annoying woman. Instead, she tried her best to ignore her.

"Well, he _deserved _it! He deserved a lot worse! The guy must be _gay _for rejecting me!"

Amy, Chris and Drew all exchanged glances. They all knew who Torrie was talking about. Chris rolled his eyes.

"I hope the _next _time Adam Copeland gets hit in the head with a steel chair, he bleeds!"

Amy whipped her head around sharply to stare daggers into the blonde. She was suddenly furious.

"Torrie, calm down," Billy Kidman was saying placidly, placing one hand across the table on her arm.

"No!" the blonde shouted. "I hate that guy! He made me feel like a fool! There I was, on his bed, _offering _myself to him, and he said no! _Nobody _does that to me!"

Chris smirked as he turned toward Drew. "_I _do..._Eddy Guerrero _does...and oh, yes - _Adam _does, too," he muttered softly, then shook his head.

Amy, meanwhile, could not believe her ears. Had Torrie really done what she'd just told Kidman she had? _Offered _herself to Adam?? She glared at the blonde, stepping closer to her booth as Torrie continued her verbal assault of her friend.

"Hey!" the redhead shouted, over her limit with the woman.

Torrie looked up at her quickly, her face reddening slightly. It was evident to Amy that she hadn't even noticed her presence until that very moment. She was truly _that _self-absorbed.

"H-hi, Amy," the other woman stammered, trying to regain her composure but failing miserably. There was the smile.

"Don't 'hi' me, you bitch," Amy hissed. "Stop talking trash about my friend!"

Torrie widened her blue eyes slightly. "I didn't...I mean, I wasn't-"

"Don't bother lying to me, Torrie...I heard every word."

By the bar, Drew nudged Chris. "Uh oh...looks like Ames is about to kick somebody's ass!"

Seeing that the "innocent" tactic wasn't going to work, Torrie's face suddenly exhibited her true emotion - anger. "Oh, excuse me," she spat. "I wasn't aware I was talking to you!"

Amy felt a vein throbbing in her temple. "You don't have to be talking _to _me - I don't like the stuff you said about my friend...and I don't like _you_."

Surprisingly, Torrie stood up and came over to Amy, standing toe-to-toe with her. They glared at each other wordlessly for a moment, then, to the redhead's shock, Torrie slapped her. Amy's head was rocked to one side with the surprising force of the blow, and her cheek stung. She placed a hand to her face for a second, then, quick as a flash, she swung her right fist directly into Torrie's face with all her might.

Billy Kidman sprang up from the table, in shock. At the same time, Jericho and Drew, abandoning their beers, ran over in time to see the two women fighting on the floor. Other men in the bar hooted and howled at the scene with appreciation.

As Torrie tried to yank a handful of Amy's hair, the redhead again pummeled the blonde in the face, catching her in the jaw. Suddenly, Amy felt a pair of strong hands lifting her up and off her nemesis. She struggled mightily to free herself, but to no avail. She realized it was Chris who was holding onto her when she heard him yell, "Enough!"

Kidman had helped Torrie to her feet, and now the blonde tried to charge for more of Amy's punishment, but the dark-haired man grabbed her from behind like Chris had Amy.

"I don't want to hear...you...talking shit...about him again!" the redhead shouted furiously, trying to catch her breath as she pointed an accusatory finger at the other woman.

Torrie simply stared at her, lifting a hand to her face. She would later develop a shiner, as Amy had punched her pretty hard in the eye region.

Amy knew the blonde was terrified as she stared back at her and didn't speak. She could plainly see the fear in her blue eyes.

"All right, show's over!" Chris bellowed as he steered Amy over to the bar, Drew beside them. The two men placed some bills on the table, then took the diva out of there.

"Nice work, Ames," Drew said with a wink of appreciation. "You sure gave it to that witch."

Amy eyed him wordlessly, then shifted her gaze to Jericho. She couldn't quite believe what had just happened. She just hoped the consequences she suffered because of it wouldn't be too severe.


	11. Chapter 11

Over the next week, the news of the catfight between Amy and Torrie Wilson spread like wildfire. Some of the roster expressed surprise while others were not surprised in the least.

Amy was _not _surprised when she was called into Stephanie McMahon's office regarding her actions. She recalled the meeting as she reflected on the entire mess...

_"Amy...Thank you for coming so soon," Stephanie said. "I heard about your 'little disagreement' with Miss Torrie Wilson the other day...would you care to tell me about it?"_

_The redhead rolled her eyes heavenward, sighed and said, "She slapped me, so I hit her back - it's as simple as that."_

_Stephanie crossed her arms under her breasts as she regarded the other woman. "Yes, that is what I've heard...Look, Amy," the brunette continued, "in the interest of fairness, I decided to hear from _you _first - I know you - you're a sensible person, well-liked around here, and you don't go starting fights. I trust you...would you please tell me what this fight was all about? Why did Torrie slap you in the first place?"_

_"It all started when I heard her saying awful things about one of my closest friends - Adam," Amy explained._

_Stephanie perked up a bit, her right eyebrow raising with this interesting piece of news._

_"...and when I told her I'd heard everything she'd said, she got really obnoxious...The next thing I knew, she was up in my face, and that's when she slapped me."_

_"Okay," the boss' daughter said with a nod. "I understand why you hit her then. But _please_, Amy...the next time something like this happens, come to me or my dad or Shane first..."_

Whoa, not Shane! _the redhead thought. Everyone knew that Stephanie's brother was absolutely smitted with Torrie - even though she'd dropped him like yesterday's garbage after only a month of dating him._

_"...one of us will then speak to Torrie, and she will end up justly punished," Stephanie continued._

_"All right...I understand. I'll keep that in mind," Amy replied._

_"Good...Thank you again for meeting with me...You're free to go now."_

_Amy was surprised as she started to leave. Then, turning back to the brunette, she asked, "That's it? I mean...I'm not going to be punished for my actions or anything?"_

_"No, you won't," Stephanie promised. "You were in the right. But Torrie Wilson - oh, believe me when I say she_ will _be."_

_The redhead nodded, arching an eyebrow. "Okay...Thanks, Steph."_

_"No problem...again, thank you."_

_Amy stepped out of the room and made her way down the hallway. She wondered what kind of consequences Torrie would be made to suffer._

--

Although Adam was fine, he was supposed to be out of the spotlight for two weeks. The idea was that, after Christian's unexpected attack on him on RAW, Edge was out of commission, injured by the one-man conchairto to the head. He would return to attack his little brother two weeks to the day on RAW, when Christian would be facing Tajiri - whom, incidentally, now had Torrie Wilson in his corner.

Although he didn't have a match scheduled for another week yet, Adam was still on hand. He stayed in the locker room and watched his friend's matches.

Of course, he too had heard about Amy's fight with Torrie. Although he'd known the redhead didn't like the other woman, he wondered about that. He knew Amy so well - despite her fiery nature, she was not the type of person to pick fights - not even with someone she loathed as much as Torrie. He figured either one of two things had happened - Torrie hit her first, or else she'd said or done something to provoke Amy.

He hadn't seen or even spoken to her much the previous week, as his schedule had him doing one appearance after another while he was not wrestling. He and Amy had spoken a handful of times on the phone, but the conversations never got too far. He decided to go seek her out now, knowing they both had time to kill at the very moment.

Adam left the deserted room and walked down the hall to the locker room he knew Amy was sharing with Trish and Stacy. He stood just outside the door for a brief moment, noting how quiet it sounded, then knocked.

Within the room, Amy looked up from the magazine through which she'd been skimming. "It's open!"

As Adam stepped into the room, the redhead put the magazine down, her eyes locked on his.

"Hi..."

"Hi, Amy..." He easily saw that she was alone, Trish and Stacy nowhere in sight. He slid beside her on the small couch on which she sat. He decided to just take the plunge rather than beat around the bush. "...I heard about you and Torrie."

"Oh..." Amy blushed and nervously shoved some of her red hair behind one ear. By now, this subject embarrassed her, but she was not sorry for punching Torrie out. She glanced away from the blond's eyes.

"Did you get into trouble over it?" Adam asked, wanting more than anything to grab hold of her hand. He could see how ashamed she seemed to be of the incident.

"No...I lucked out in that I was summoned to see Stephanie," the diva replied. "If it had been Vince, I probably would have been fined or suspended."

The tall Canadian nodded his agreement. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course..."

"What was that fight all about?"

Amy looked up, instantly meeting his eyes. She bit her lip, then looked away in her further embarrassment. "Actually, it was about _you_..."

Adam was dumbfounded. "Me?"

"Yeah," Amy said as she turned back to face him. "She was talking to Billy Kidman in a very loud voice about how happy she was that Jay hit you with that chair on RAW last week..." She gestured wildly with both hands, becoming extremely animated as she relayed the news to him.

Adam's eyebrows quirked upward as she continued.

"...and she even said you must be gay for rejecting her..." That brought them to another embarrassing topic, but this time it was Adam's turn to blush.

"Great...just great," he muttered.

"Anyway, I got fed up with the bitch and told her to shut up - because you're my friend..."

Adam looked up and met her eyes upon that last word. There it was again.

"...and then, she slapped me! That was the last straw!" the redhead exclaimed.

"So, that's why I keep hearing everyone say she has a black eye."

"Right - _I _gave it to her..." After a moment, Amy studied him intently, then asked, "Did Torrie really do what she said she did? Get into your room when you weren't there and..._offer _herself to you?"

Adam sighed and ran a hand through his long hair. Amy was the _last _person whom he would ever want to know about this.

"Yeah," he admitted reluctantly. "It was the night of SummerSlam, when I won the Intercontinental title...I walked into my hotel room and found her in my bed, wearing nothing but really cheesy lingerie and that cheesy smile of hers. And she had a bottle of champagne, too - to 'celebrate.'"

Amy pondered this for a moment, thoughtfully chewing on the inside of her cheek, her eyes downcast. "So, she _did _try to seduce you..."

"Yes, she did...but it didn't work. It could _never _work," the blond man stated firmly. "There is nothing about that woman that I like - and as I told you not too long ago, Ames, I _literally _want no part of her..."

The redhead was silent for another moment as she absorbed his words. Then, "That's good to know..." She gazed at him without adding anymore to that statement.

Adam stared into Amy's beautiful hazel eyes, wondering exactly what she meant by her last words - or whether they _did _contain a hidden or not-so-hidden meaning. He considered questioning her about it right then-

But they were both startled as Stacy and Trish suddenly entered the room, laughing noisily. From what he gathered in their playful, girlish banter, they apparently had just come back from visiting Ivory - Lisa Moretti - and the older diva had told them a hilarious story.

"Oh...hi, Adam," Trish said when she suddenly realized he was there.

"Hi," Stacy quipped.

"Hey, ladies," he said with a small smile, though he was actually disappointed they had chosen that moment to return to their locker room.

"Well, I'd better get ready for my match," Trish said. "Sorry, Amy - but I'm gonna have to kick Adam out for now."

"That's okay," Adam said as Amy simply gazed at him. He stood up and faced her again for a beat. "We'll talk more later."

"Okay," the redhead replied softly, a gentle expression on her lovely face.

After the blond man was gone, Amy sighed unhappily. Trish and Stacy laughed and talked, but she didn't pay any attention to them. Her thoughts were too focused on her tall Canadian friend.

"Amy...are you okay?"

The redhead looked up to see Stacy looking down at her with concern. The tall blonde placed one hand on her shoulder as she met her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Stace..." As much as she liked Stacy Keibler, as sweet as she was, and as good as she was for Matt, Amy found the girl a little clueless. She glanced over at Trish, who had just finished dressing in her in-ring gear.

"Ames, you haven't been yourself lately," the petite blonde said with concern. "It's Adam, isn't it?"

One thing about Trish Stratus was that she was extremely intelligent and very perceptive. "Well...you can say that," she admitted. Although Trish and Stacy were her friends, she didn't quite feel comfortable talking to them about this. Maybe she should go look for Chris. He was the easiest to talk to - she thought it might be because of the conversation they'd had back in the summer, when she'd confessed her feelings of anger and jealousy whenever she spotted Torrie Wilson with Adam.

Amy stood up, wanting to run out of the room. "I...well, you guys know how I feel about Torrie Wilson...We were just discussing that when you walked in. That's all," she said quickly.

Trish arched an eyebrow. "Oh...I thought maybe there was more to it than that."

"No...guys, I'll be back. I want to go talk to Chris."

After the two blondes bid her "see you laters," Amy slipped out into the hall and walked to the blond man's locker room.

"Hi," she said a moment later, as he held the door open and looked out. "I need to talk to you..."

After fifteen minutes, Chris Jericho nodded, a serious expression on his face as he listened to his friend continue her admissions.

"So...I don't see what the problem is, Ames...why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

Amy winced and threw her hands up. "Because...because I'm _scared_, Chris...there, I admit it. I'm scared to death that he'll reject me. Let's face it, I'm not exactly the kind of girl guys fall head over heels for. I _know _I'm attractive, but I've always been a tomboy - not exactly the type you guys dream about. To all of you, I'm just one of the guys...And with his looks and personality, he can have any woman he wants. Why would he ever want _me_?" She felt like crying as she banged a hand on the leather couch upon which she sat.

Chris stared at Amy. Was she really _that _insecure? He felt skeptical about it, yet here she was, pouring out all of her fears to him. He thought she was dead wrong - she was beautiful, and she _was _the kind of girl men fell for - at the drop of a hat. One glimpse of her smile and a peek into her sunny nature could melt any guy's heart. In fact, when they'd first met, _he _had considered asking her out, but he'd thought she would reject him. Later on, he realized that the two of them would be better off as only friends anyway. Besides, Chris knew early on that the redhead's heart was elsewhere. He'd seen the way she looked at Adam - when the tall blond was around, it was as if no one else was in the room.

"Amy, listen to me," Chris said as he sat beside his worried friend. He turned her face so that she was looking directly into his eyes. Hazel met crystal blue, and he said, "Didn't I _tell _you back in July that you were in love with Adam?"

"Y-yes..."

"You have nothing to lose, Ames...talk to him. Swallow your fears and _talk_ to him."

The redhead swallowed hard, her eyes welling up slightly with tears. Her vision blurred as she continued to look into Chris' face. How wrong he was - she had _everything_ to lose - because Adam's friendship was everything to her.


	12. Chapter 12

_September 12, 2001_

It had been an emotional two days for everyone. The country had been under attack by terrorists only a day earlier. People who had experienced the Vietnam War said they'd never even witnessed anything quite as bad over there during _that _horror compared to these horrific attacks. Many lives had been lost, and everyone had been affected by the horrible tragedy.

Instead of pre-empting SmackDown after the atrocities, the WWF proceeded with the show in an attempt to bring a semblance of normalcy and unity to the country - showing that "life goes on," rather than sitting back scared, which was exactly what the terrorists wanted. Ring announcer Lilian Garcia had sung the National Anthem in front of the live audience and the wrestlers, who all stood gathered on the ramp. Her performance had touched all, bringing tears to many eyes.

Amy felt so shaken that day. She, Matt, Jeff, Stacy, Chris, Shane, Jay, Trish and Adam had sat glued in front of the TV in Chris' hotel room for most of the day, in shock. Like everyone else, the redhead didn't wanted to be alone at such a time, but at the same time, she _did _want and need her solitude. She finally ended up leaving to go back to her own room at a little after eight in the evening.

A moment after, she stepped into the hallway, wrapping her arms around herself protectively as she started for her own room. She'd felt a chill within - one she could not imagine disappearing anytime soon after all the horror that had befallen the country.

"Amy! Wait!"

She turned at the sound of the voice and looked up to see Adam heading her way. The tall blond looked extremely concerned as he gazed at her.

"You shouldn't be alone at a time like this," he said softly when he had caught up to her. "Let me keep you company..."

She gazed up into his sparkling emerald eyes and could not resist. She wanted his company more than anything. After everything that had happened, she thought she might just tellhim how about the feelings she recently realized she had for him. If anything, this terrible ordeal had clearly shown her exactly how fragile life truly was.

Still gazing up at him, she nodded wordlessly, and they continued down the hall. She felt his arm go around her waist and didn't pull away. Instead, she wanted to sink into his embrace. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to pull herself together.

Once they were inside her room, Amy went straight to the bed, curling up on her side. Her eyes focused on nothing but the wall as she almost seemed to shrink into herself.

Adam stood several feet away, watching her with quiet concern for a moment, then came over to sit by her on the bed. Her back was facing him. He knew how shaken she was, for he was feeling much the same way. There were no words he could think of saying that would ease her mind or soul.

He reached out with one hand and gently stroked her long red hair, smoothing some strands away from her cheek. He began caressing her cheek as well, and Amy closed her eyes at the touch, a sob threatening to break loose from her at any moment.

She turned over onto her back and gazed up into his handsome face, which currently wore a grave expression. She wanted him to hold her - hold her and make her forget - at least for a little while.

Adam continued caressing her cheek, and Amy suddenly began sobbing softly. She couldn't help it. She turned over so that she was back on her right side, not wanting him to see her crying, at her most vulnerable. Despite all the horror they'd all witnessed, she was a bit embarrassed by her own tears.

It didn't take more than a couple of seconds of seeing Amy's body shaking with sobs for Adam to react. He lay down beside her, gently turning her around so that she was facing him and gazed down into her face, his hand gently under her chin, her tears wetting his fingers.

Amy met his eyes briefly, her mascara pooling a bit under her hazel orbs. After a few seconds, she ducked her head and buried her face into his chest as she continued to weep. Adam put his arms around her slender form and rubbed his face against her soft hair. They lay like that, side-by-side for awhile until Amy pulled herself up into a partial sitting position.

"I'm...sorry," she finally said as she wiped the tears off her face. They were the first words either of them had spoken since entering the room.

"What for?"

"For losing control like that...I...I shouldn't burden you like that."

"Ames..." Adam winced for her, his heart practically melting at the sadness in her voice. "...we're friends, and if you can't express your emotions in front of friends, who _can _you express them to? I want you to know that I'm here for you, and I always _will_ be..." He gazed deeply and intensely into her eyes, which were now slightly bloodshot. "...don't ever forget that."

She kept her eyes on his for a beat, then looked down and slid over until she was again in his arms. Adam closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh as she snuggled against him.

"Thank you..."

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close against him. "There's no need to thank me," he said softly. He savored the sensation of her warm form in his arms, sorry that it had taken a horrific tragedy for it to come to such physical closeness between them. After a moment, he moved his head just slightly to place a tender kiss on her forehead, and the redhead seemed to stiffen a bit in his arms, then relaxed again.

They lay like that together for awhile, and Amy realized she could hear Adam's heart beating. She concentrated on its strong, steady rhythm for several minutes, closing her eyes. She was again reminded of how precious and fragile life was, and after awhile, she bolted up into a sitting position.

Adam sat up slightly and met her eyes across the bed. "Are you okay, Ames?"

"I...yeah," she replied dumbly. She wanted to tell him - right there and then. "Adam, I..." She paused, stuck.

"What? Tell me, sweetheart...talk to me." He reached over and grasped her hand.

Amy stared into his eyes. After a moment, she said, "I just wanted to tell you..." She swallowed hard, hating herself because she knew she _wouldn't _say it. She was sure it was only friendship he felt toward her. "...thank you for being here with me."

Adam squeezed her hand gently. "Again, there's no need to thank me, Ames...there's no place I'd rather be right now..."

Amy lay back on the bed, turning over onto her left side so that she was facing him. Her hand still in his, she cursed herself for not saying what she _really _wanted to - what she truly felt in her heart. Still, she felt so comfortable with the blond man beside her that she closed her eyes, falling asleep very soon after.

Adam watched as she drifted off. He reached out to tenderly touch her hair, grazing her right cheek with the backs of his long, slender fingers. He tilted his head slightly as he gazed down at her, noting her slow, regular breathing. She was sound asleep. He felt a burst of tenderness more fierce than any he'd ever realized for the redhead. As he continued caressing her cheek, and as she continued to sleep, he whispered, in the softest voice possible, "I love you, Amy..." He couldn't quite believe the words, though spoken so inaudibly, had really left his lips. But he knew it was true.

After a long while, a half-hour, an hour - Adam had lost all concept of time after he had whispered those four words to her - he was going to leave her alone to sleep peacefully, for he knew that she hadn't slept much the night before. But when he gently pulled his hand from hers, the redhead suddenly stirred and moaned softly.

"Adam?" She opened her eyes and peered up at him sleepily.

"I was just going to leave you to sleep," he explained in a soft voice.

"No..." She reached out for him with her right hand almost beseechingly. "...stay with me tonight - please..."

_Cool I am_  
_When I am with you_

_Cool I'm not_  
_When I am lonely..._

Adam gazed down at her gently. How could he ever refuse her? "Are you sure?" he asked, sitting back on the edge of the bed.

"Yes...please, Adam. I...I can't be alone tonight...Just hold me like you were doing earlier..."

Without another word, he slipped back into the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her as she clung to him and buried her face into his chest. He was happy to oblige to her request.

As he lay there with Amy in his arms, Adam wanted more than anything to lower his head and kiss her, but he restrained himself. The last thing he needed right now was for her to pull away and tell him all he was, and all he would ever be to her, was a friend. His heart just wouldn't be able to take that during such a trying time...

--

_Unforgiven, September 23, 2001_

Things had lightened up a bit in the nearly two weeks that had passed. The country was going on as normal, and the WWF had not postponed its current pay-per-view.

Amy sat backstage in a locker room with Trish and Stacy, free to just relax since the Hardy Boyz had already been in the tag team elimination match as the first order of the night. She was looking forward to seeing Adam and Jay compete in a long-awaited battle between brothers Edge and Christian. Although she was sad to see Adam lose the Intercontinental title, she was happy for her other friend, as this would be his very first win for the championship.

It was also Matt's 27th birthday, and Jeff and Stacy had planned a surprise birthday party for him that would take place that night after the pay-per-view. Amy smiled, knowing the dark-haired Hardy Boy had to be onto them, since he was usually extremely perceptive.

"Look," Trish's excited voice penetrated the redhead's thoughts. She pointed one French manicured-nailed finger toward the TV monitor in the room. "There's Jay!" He was being interviewed by Lilian Garcia before the highly anticipated match.

Amy knew that Jay was still a bit upset by the storyline of he and Adam going their separate ways and feuding, but the deal had been somewhat sweetened by him winning the title. She couldn't help but feel badly for Adam, although he was perfectly happy and more than willing to job out for his best friend.

They watched the match in near silence for the first several minutes, except for an occasional "ooh" or "ahh" or sigh. It seemed to go back and forth to each man's favor for awhile, the two blonds alternating between technical and high flying moves.

Amy's breath caught in her throat as Edge climbed the top turnbuckle when Christian was down. The shorter blond got up, but his back was turned, so when Edge leapt, he landed on his feet behind him. The taller man stood in an offensive stance, prepared for Christian as he turned around, unaware, directly into a German suplex that was converted into a bridge-pin combination by Edge. Christian kicked out and got to his feet...

...And that was when she saw the blood.

"Adam!" Amy gasped and placed a hand against her mouth. The tall blond was suddenly bleeding under his left eye, which was squeezed shut. As she watched in horror, he placed a hand on the wound, checking for the blood. "Oh, my God..." Amy realized Adam was bleeding pretty heavily, and she guessed he would probably need to be stitched up after the match.

"Poor guy..." she heard Stacy say sympathetically.

The women watched the remainder of the match, and Amy felt relieved when she realized Adam seemed to be okay enough to continue. After all, it was only a cut. She herself had suffered the exact same injury - ironically enough, even in the same place, directly underneath her left eye - at the Survivor Series a year earlier.

It was Trish's turn to gasp when, toward the end of the contest, Edge tripped Christian, who had been holding a steel chair and intending to deliver another one-man conchairto to the taller blond. The kick had foiled that plan, and Christian had fallen onto his back, the chair he'd been holding smacking directly into his own face. When Jay stood back up a moment later, he was bleeding from a cut under his nose. However, it was obvious that Adam had suffered the worse injury.

Amy winced at the match's unmerciful ending. While the referee's back was turned, Christian grabbed one of the two steel chairs he'd hauled into the ring and brought it up hard between Edge's legs from behind. The Intercontinental champion immediately fell to the canvas, his legs together as he writhed in pain. Christian took advantage, went for the cover and got the victory. As he departed the ring with the belt in hand, hugging it as he made his way to the back, Edge still lay in the ring in agony.

"Oh, God..." Amy breathed. "...Adam." Without a word to either of her two friends, she fled the room and ran out into the hallway. She rushed down a corridor and nearly ran smack into Jay.

"Amy!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Sorry, I didn't see you."

"Never mind that, Jay...where's Adam? Is he still out there?"

"No," he replied. "He's in with the trainer, getting stitched up." He looked past the redhead and saw his girlfriend approaching them.

"Jay..." Trish came over and put her arms around him. The man lifted his head to avoid getting his blood in her blond hair as he hugged her back. "Are you all right?" she asked, pulling back slightly to stare up at the cut he'd suffered.

"Yeah, I'm fine, babe...it's not that bad. I don't need any stitches or anything."

Amy quietly left them to each other and walked briskly down the hall to the trainer's room. The door was open a mere crack, and she peeked inside, getting a glimpse of Adam's blond head. Slowly, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The trainer was working on him. As she silently moved around to the other side of the room so that she could see him, she winced and blinked with concern as she noticed his left eye was shut. It appeared to be nearly _swollen _that way because of the bad cut.

Both Adam and the man tending to him looked up simultaneously. "Amy..."

"I saw what happened to you out there," she said softly.

"Yeah," the tall Canadian muttered. As the trainer finished up with him a couple of minutes later, he stood up to leave.

"Thanks," he told the man.

"Remember to come see me in exactly a week from today - the stitches should be ready to come out by then."

Adam nodded wordlessly and turned to Amy, gesturing for her. They stepped out of the room and into the hall.

"Are you okay?" the redhead asked with concern. She reached up tentatively with one hand to his face, but she stopped herself from touching him. She didn't want to hurt him.

"Yeah, I'm okay...it was all my own damn stupidity that caused this," he replied.

"It was?"

"When I did that German suplex, I didn't throw Jay far enough back - he landed partially on my face, and _that's _why I got this cut." He was annoyed with himself for that. He'd meant to ask Kurt Angle for some tips on executing a better German suplex but had never actually gotten around to it.

They continued down the hall to Adam's locker room, and they stopped just outside. "Are...are you still going to Matt's surprise party tonight?" Amy asked almost shyly.

"Of course I am...it would take a lot more than just a little cut under my eye to stop me from hanging out with my friends." He wanted to add, _Besides, nothing would ever stop me from being with _you, but he held his tongue against it.

The redhead smiled as she gazed up into his face. She reached out for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, and he smiled back at her. "Good...well, I'll let you get showered and changed and stuff."

"Okay...see you later, Ames," he said.

She pulled her hand out of his loose grip and turned to leave, then had a second thought and turned back around to face him. To his surprise, she stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his left cheek, making sure to avoid touching his wound. Afterward, she smiled at him again and then turned around and headed back to her own locker room.

Adam sighed, a soft, gentle smile still on his face as he watched her walk away. God, he wanted _so _badly to kiss her - to _really _kiss her, but that peck on the cheek had been nice...


	13. Chapter 13

_October 30, 2001_

The fall seemed to be passing very quickly - _too _quickly. It was Adam's 28th birthday, and he felt a bit depressed.

His feelings didn't stem from a fight with a friend or from something having to do with his career. He felt sad because he knew Jay had been in fact correct when he'd told him he was in love with Amy - even though it had been nearly a year earlier and he'd denied it, he realized his best friend had been right. He _was _in love with the redhead - _deeply_ in love with her - and he didn't know what to do about it.

Adam realized that if Amy hadn't expressed the fact of Shane Helms being her _friend _when she'd told him about breaking it off with him, he would have already told her of his feelings.

_"...he is my friend, and that's all he'll ever be..."_

He squeezed his eyes shut in frustration, running one hand through his long blond hair. He couldn't stand the way he was feeling. Maybe he should just end the friendship he and Amy had...

_What the _hell _am I thinking_? he wondered bitterly. If he ended their friendship, Amy would just think he was nothing but shit - which was exactly how he was suddenly feeling for his ridiculous thoughts. Oh, well - love _did _do strange, even crazy things to people.

Adam gathered up the rest of his things and left the locker room he'd been in. The SmackDown taping was officially over, and he was supposed to meet Jay just outside. They would be riding back to the hotel together. He was glad. In a way, he hoped that no one had anything planned for his birthday, because he was feeling rotten enough to just spend the evening in his hotel room, left to his thoughts.

--

"Ames...it would be the _perfect _time!" Chris Jericho cried as he watched his redheaded friend pace back and forth in her hotel room. They were preparing for a surprise birthday party for Adam that Amy had insisted upon.

She stopped, holding some party streamers in her right hand. Eyeing her friend, she said, "I can't do that...I just _can't_..."

"But _why_?"

"You just don't understand, Chris!" Amy cried, placing a hand to her forehead. "A woman picks up certain signs...and there have been indications that he doesn't see me as anything more than a friend - a _buddy_! Like I told you, I'm nothing more than 'one of the guys!'"

The blond man rolled his crystal blue eyes in frustration. "Oh, for crying out loud!" He came over to the diva and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me, Ames...you _have _to _talk _to the man...you can't just _assume _that he would push you away, or that he would be averse to the idea of you and him - I really don't know what you're so afraid of. It's not like you at all - you're so tough, in and out of the ring, you speak your mind freely, and yet you're such a wimp when it comes to a guy who's been your friend for such a long time - you claim you feel totally comfortable around him - prove it!"

The redhead stared into the man's clear eyes for a moment without speaking, then, without warning, her expression changed, and she looked crestfallen as she tried not to cry.

"Oh, Ames...I'm sorry," Chris said softly. "I didn't mean to be so harsh with you." He swept her into his arms, hugging her tightly. He gently rocked her back and forth as she clung onto him.

Amy held her breath, holding back the tears. She hated the situation she was in - she was in love with a man who would never see her the way _she _saw him...

"It's just that...like I said, you don't understand, Chris," she said softly, her voice breaking slightly as she gazed up at him. "There was a guy I had feelings for back in my ECW days..."

"Oh?" Jericho asked gently. "And what happened?"

"He was a wrestler, too...and we were friends. And I _did _tell him how I felt - I said I liked him a lot...I even asked him out - but he said he never saw me that way...and never _would._.." Unshed tears welled up in her hazel eyes as she recounted the story. "...before long, we stopped hanging out, and when I asked him about it, he told me he didn't like me and didn't even want me for a friend anymore!"

"Aww, Ames...that really sucks."

She pressed her face into his chest. "So, you see why I don't want to say anything to Adam - I can't risk losing him. And this time, I'm in _love_ - it's not like with the other guy, whom I only _liked_. I'm sure you can understand that."

He nodded. "I do understand...I really do..." Chris smoothed some of her red hair off her face and didn't speak for a moment. Then, "Can I ask you something?"

"What?" She looked up at him, the sorrowful expression still on her face.

"Is this ECW guy now in the WWF?"

"No...no, he isn't," Amy said, shaking her head.

"Good...because if he was, I would have to go kick his ass for you," Chris said with a slight smile.

Amy laughed softly, hugging him against her and feeling a tiny bit better.

--

"Jay, I really don't feel like-"

"Oh, come on, man...she wanted to talk to us for a minute, that's all." He didn't know what other excuse he could come up with to get Adam to go to Amy's hotel room with him. The tall man was acting pretty cranky that night, and he guessed it had something to do with his getting closer to the age of thirty.

Jay knocked on the door to Amy's room, waiting patiently for the redhead to answer. He turned to study Adam, only to find him glaring at him. If looks could kill, Jay supposed he would be dead on the floor.

The door suddenly opened, and Amy smiled out at them. "Hi, guys..." As she ushered them inside, a group of wrestlers, who had been hiding, jumped out in sight and yelled, "Surprise!"

Adam was actually surprised. He had expect something, but hadn't expected it to take place in Amy's room. As he glanced around the room at all his friends, stopping his gaze on the redhead, his mood brightened considerably. The diva had a warm smile on her pretty face as she gazed up at him.

"Thank you, guys..." He glanced at Jay, who was wearing a silly grin on his face, Trish suddenly at his side.

"We sure got you, didn't we?" his best friend asked with a chuckle as he put an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.

"Well...yeah," Adam admitted. "I knew there would be a party, but I had no idea it would be here, in Amy's room." He turned his gaze back on the redhead, the uncontrollable urge to sweep her into his embrace nearly overwhelming.

"Happy birthday, Adam," she said softly, still smiling, her hazel eyes shining. As if reading the tall Canadian's mind, she moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He, in turn, enveloped her in his embrace, lowering his chin gently on the top of her head, rubbing it against her fragrant hair.

Across the room, neither Adam nor Amy noticed Chris Jericho watching both of them intently. The blond wore a small, knowing grin on his face.


	14. Chapter 14

_December 2001_

The WWF seemed to be slowly evolving into a new era. Over the past six or so months, there had been rumors circulating about how things were going to change. Amy recalled her friend Joanie Laurer having said that her ex-boyfriend, Paul Levesque, had spoken of this often. Soon after, Joanie had known it wasn't rumors at all but _fact_ - which she realized once the relationship had come to an end. If anyone would know the direction the company would be taking in the future, it would be be Paul, because his current girlfriend was none other than Stephanie McMahon, the boss' daughter.

"Come on, Jeff!" Amy exclaimed, glaring impatiently at her friend. They were in the airport, preparing for their flight to the next city for RAW. He was lagging behind and seemed to be looking for something.

Matt, beside the redhead, turned around and faced his younger brother. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find my cell phone," Jeff complained as he lifted his head from under the bank of plastic chairs in the airport's waiting room. He was on his hands and knees, and it was a good thing the area was mostly deserted, because he would be annoying plenty of people.

"Well, you had it a minute ago," Amy offered. "I remember you checking your voicemail when we first got here."

"Yeah, I did...I can't understand it," the young man said. "Where can it be?"

"Did you take it off your person and put it in your bag?" Matt asked.

"No...I would remember that." He stood back up and began to wheel his suitcase down the hall.

"Jeff, wait up!" the dark-haired brother called. He turned and gestured to Amy to follow him. She did as he instructed, sighing when she realized they were going to miss their flight.

They followed Jeff around the airport, tracing their steps. They had gone to a small bagel stand for breakfast and stopped off at a magazine stand as well. It took several minutes of the young man searching, but he did manage to find his phone. Apparently, it had fallen off its clip on his belt hook. Someone had picked it up and given it to the man behind the counter at the bagel shop for safe keeping.

After thanking the cashier and tucking his cell phone safely into his bag, Jeff thanked the man, then turned toward Amy and Matt. "Okay, let's get out of here."

"Oh, no!" Amy cried as a voice suddenly announced the last call for their flight. The trio began to run to their gate, but it turned out they were too late. The plane had already taken off.

"Just great, Jeff!" Matt muttered. "We're gonna miss the SmackDown taping now!"

"Sorry, but it's not my fault, Matt - I needed my phone! What if someone had taken it and used it? Can you imagine how much the company would have been charging me?"

"All you would have to do in that situation is call the company and cancel your service, dumbass!" Matt shouted.

"Well, no kidding, _dumbass_!" Jeff yelled back, his face a mask of anger.

"Guys, guys!" Amy said sharply as she stepped between her two friends. "Cut it out - you're not helping our situation any, and you're making a scene...Come on, we can't do anything about missing our flight. Let's just book another one." She held a hand against either brother's chest to separate them before they beat each other senseless right then and there.

Matt relaxed somewhat, his anger dissipating. "You're right, Ames...I'm sorry, Jeff."

"Yeah...me too," the rainbow-haired young man said.

Amy walked up to the nearest counter, pulling her wheeled bag behind her. "Excuse me," she said to the woman standing there. "My friends and I just missed our flight - number 308 to Cincinnati...we'd like to book a flight on the next available plane headed there..."

The woman was cordial and quickly booked them on the appropriate flight. The only problem was that the next flight would not be for another three hours.

The three of them sat down in the waiting area they'd been relaxing in only moments ago, all disappointed for a variety of reasons. Amy checked her watch after only five minutes, and Jeff pulled out a book. Matt sighed with frustration.

"Damn, I wish Stacy had come home with me this time around..."

--

_RAW, December 10, 2001_

Adam lingered backstage for the majority of the night. He had only an interview scheduled, and no match after last night's pay-per-view, Vengeance. He'd defended the Intercontinental title against William Regal, with whom Edge had been feuding for the past few weeks.

After the interview with Jonathan Coachman, in which Edge had insulted the Englishman, who had responded by slamming him in the back of the head with his notorious brass knuckles, Adam set off to look for Amy. He hadn't seen her all night but knew she had a match scheduled for later that night - she and Jeff would be taking on Matt in an intergender handicap match.

The storyline with Team Xtreme as of late had Matt acting jealous and suspicious of his brother and girlfriend. It had all led to last night's match at Vengeance, in which Lita had been forced to referee a match betwen the Hardy brothers. Adam knew this current angle, much like the breakup of Edge and Christian had been difficult for him and Jay, was difficult to the trio.

He stopped in front of the diva's locker room, knowing she was sharing with Trish and Stacy, as usual. Just as he was about to knock, the door opened and Stacy Keibler stood in the doorway.

"Oh...hey, Adam," she said with a smile as she stepped out into the hallway.

"Hey, Stacy."

"Looking for Amy?"

"Yeah...she in there?" Adam asked.

"No, not at the moment...she, Matt and Jeff were called in to Mr. McMahon's office," the leggy blonde explained.

"Oh...really? What for?" Adam frowned at this information, for he knew intuitively that it couldn't be good.

"I don't know," Stacy admitted. "Though it might have something to do with them showing up late for shows lately...you know, they missed the SmackDown taping last week."

"I know - because Jeff misplaced his cell phone."

"Right...I've got to find out what happened from Matt later," she said with concern. "Anyway, I was just stepping out to get some food...you can wait in there for Amy if you want."

"Thanks, Stacy...I think I will," Adam replied. He entered the room as the tall woman walked down the hall in search of the buffet room.

--

"But Mr. McMahon," Jeff protested as he looked the boss directly in the eye, "I told you, I lost my cell phone and I had to go back to find it."

"I understand all that, Jeff," Vince said in a patronizing tone. "But you three missed the taping last week. Do you realize the sort of problems you caused due to your absence? A scheduled match had to be scrapped, and an impromptu one had to be set up at the last minute. Now, this is the third time something like this has happened in the last four weeks...Believe me, this won't go unpunished."

"Wait a minute," Matt interjected. "That's not fair - Jeff didn't _mean _to cause any harm!"

"This doesn't concern you, young man."

"Like _hell _it doesn't!" the elder Hardy cried. Amy winced at her friend's words and tone of voice. Damn it, Matt's temper was going to get them _all _into trouble - she just knew it.

"Listen, Matt - I have no patience for people wasting my time - and that is exactly what your brother did," Vince stated firmly.

"Mr. McMahon," Amy finally spoke up. She gave Matt a look that told him to shut his mouth, then turned back to the billionaire. "Please - won't you give us another chance? It won't happen again." She gave him an innocent look she suspected not too much different from those Torrie Wilson usually employed to get something she wanted. She felt incredibly stupid doing this, but at this point, she felt she had no choice. Their asses were on the line.

Vince seemed to consider it for a moment as he eyed the redhead. Finally, he spoke. "You know what? I appreciate your efforts, Miss Dumas - but no...no, that's not going to work."

Amy, Jeff and Matt all eyed the man incredulously, and the older Hardy's expression quickly changed from disbelief to anger.

"You three are going to be punished." The boss began to pace around the room as he continued. "If you aren't punished, you'll think you can get away with this sort of behavior. No, it's not going to happen that way...before Christmas, you three will be on a suspension of sorts..."

"What...what do you mean?" Amy managed to ask. A cold knot had formed in her belly.

"Simple - number one, you will be split up as planned," Vince began, pointing at them. "Number two, you will not be on TV..."

"What?!" Matt cried angrily.

"...You will _not _be on TV," the man reiterated. "You will be back on once I feel you've learned your lesson, and not until then. We'll set something up so that it will look like the three of you are injured and cannot compete on RAW or SmackDown."

The redhead stared, incredulous at her boss. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. All of this just because they were late to three shows in the last month? And each time, something beyond their control had happened. She swallowed and turned her head away, realizing she couldn't look at McMahon at the very moment. Like Matt, she found herself getting increasingly incensed.

"All right," Vince barked, an unpleasant expression on his face as he regarded them. "I want the three of you out of my office. And don't screw up out there tonight. I'm warning you..."

They stared at their boss, an extra edge in Matt's glare, but the dark-haired man didn't dare speak against Vince out of fear of them having to suffer an even worse fate.

Amy was furious as she stepped through the door to her locker room. She muttered some curses under her breath and slammed the door, suddenly realizing she had company.

"Adam..."

"Hi, Amy," he said softly, almost bashfully as he looked up at her from where he sat on the small leather couch in the room. "Stacy told me I could wait for you in here." After a beat, he studied her intently. "What's the matter?"

"Our asshole of a boss, _that's _what's the matter," she spat. She ran her hand through her long red hair and came over to sit near him on the couch. "We're all officially suspended."

"What?!" The tall blond man leaned forward, arching an eyebrow in surprise.

"Well, not until right before Christmas, but we're going to be taken off the TV shows." She let out an exasperated sigh.

"God...that...that sucks, Ames." Adam winced at the expression on the redhead's face. She looked so upset, and he just wanted to comfort her.

"Tell me about it," she said. "_Nothing _would change his mind - not Jeff explaining what happened to his cell phone, not Matt protesting in anger, not even me giving him innocent eyes."

"What?" Adam would have laughed at the last thing Amy had said if the situation wasn't so dire.

"I...tried a really dumb routine on Vince," she explained, embarrassed. "Something more along the lines of one Torrie Wilson."

Adam studied her wordlessly for a moment. Then, an idea came to him. "Listen, Ames...if you want, I can go talk to him for you - maybe if one or more of your friends speaks up against this, it can be overturned."

"It wouldn't work," she said as she swung her hazel eyes his way. She shook her head. "I know the way this guy operates. It's _his _way or the highway."

The blond held his green gaze on her intensely for a long moment, a myriad of emotion swirling through him. She was upset, which upset _him_, and he was angry for what she and the Hardys were going to have to endure - who knew how long they would be off the TV shows?

"Damn it," Amy swore, her brow creasing into a frown. "I just _hate _this...it hasn't even happened yet, and I hate it!"

"Come here," Adam said softly, holding his arms out to her.

The redhead quickly obliged, sliding over on the couch to be drawn into his embrace, putting her arms around the Canadian as well. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his strong shoulder, unable to help the feeling that this was where she _belonged _- in his arms.

Later, Adam sat in his locker room with Jay as he watched the scene unfold between Matt and Lita. The couple were in their locker room, the redhead profusely apologizing to her boyfriend for the mishap on last night's pay-per-view. Lita, whom of course had served as special referee in Matt's match against his baby brother, had not seen the darker Hardy's foot on the bottom rope. In the process, she'd counted the three for Jeff, giving him the win and leaving Matt angry and humiliated.

Adam took in the sadness on Amy's face and knew it wasn't all just acting on her part. She was upset about what would happen to her and the Hardys at the hands of Vince McMahon. Just seeing the unhappiness on her face was enough to make the tall blond want to smash the boss' face in. But if he went _that _far, surely he would suffer a much worse fate than Amy and the Hardys.

Then, it was over - that is, Matt and Lita's relationship, as the man had shouted, "Just like the Hardy Boyz, Lita - _we're _breaking up!" Afterward, he shoved her out the door, slamming it behind her.

Adam felt a tug at his heart as the redhead began to cry. He felt badly about the situation and rotten for Amy, knowing how much she enjoyed the whole Team Xtreme thing. And while the Matt-Lita romance angle had initially bothered him, Adam hadn't minded it after awhile. He realized that all Amy and Matt had between them was friendship. Besides, that was all _he _and Amy would ever have, anyway. He tried to push those last, frustrating thoughts from his mind as he focused on the TV monitor. Jeff was now tending to Lita. The younger Hardy, whose hair was currently blue with slight traces of purple and green, hugged his friend as she cried into his chest.

"Man, that just reeks," Jay said as RAW cut to a commercial break. "Those three have always worked so well together."

"I know," Adam said with a sigh. "This does absolutely suck."

"You know, _you _should really be the one to comfort her," Jay said.

"Oh?" Adam arched an eyebrow as he turned to his lifelong friend.

"I don't mean _Lita _- I mean _Amy_."

"Well, there's not much I can do, Jay...I offered to talk to McMahon in protest of what's going to happen to them, but she didn't want me to."

"Oh." Jay sat quietly for a moment, turning back to the monitor. "Adam?"

"What?"

"Are you still in denial?"

The tall blond knew exactly what his friend meant. Letting out a sigh, he admitted, "No - I'm not."

Jay turned to face the other man, surprise registering in his eyes. A slow grin spread across his face. "Wow...so, are you gonna tell her?"

Adam shifted his eyes as he raked a hand through his long hair. "No, Jay..."

"But why not?"

"Because that woman means more to me than anything," he replied candidly. "I don't want to lose what we already have. And damn it, if that's all I can ever have with her, that's fine."

"I'm not following you," Jay stated, a perplexed look on his face.

Adam proceeded to tell him about the whole Amy-Shane Helms thing, and about what he'd come to think of as 'the statement': "..._he is my friend, and that's all he'll ever be.._.

"Adam, she was talking about Shane - not about _you_!"

"You don't get it, man...she was talking about _all _her male friends."

"Bullshit! At the moment she said that to you, was she or was she not talking about Shane Helms?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"No buts, Adam...if you don't talk to Amy, you're nothing but a gutless wuss! You're going to regret not telling her how you truly feel - what if she meets someone else and you miss your chance? You'll never know what her response would have been! Do you really want to go through that?" Jay knew he was being harsh and even a bit mean to his best friend, but damn it - Adam was in love with Amy, and he _needed_ a good kick in the ass for being so stubborn.

The other man just sat there with his head in his hands, torn between Jay's words and what he firmly believed with his head and his heart...


	15. Chapter 15

_One Week Later - RAW, December 17, 2001_

Adam sat backstage after his evening's match in front of the TV monitor in his and Jay's locker room. Knowing that tonight's RAW was the last televised show Amy or Jeff would be on for awhile, he wanted to catch the redhead's appearance. Amy didn't have a match scheduled for herself but accompanied the younger Hardy to the ring for his match against The Undertaker - the new Hardcore champion.

Adam frowned, seeing how fitting it was that the young man face such a competitor. Although revered and respected, for he was a legend in the company, 'Taker was a most feared opponent. Most wrestlers of Jeff Hardy's status would be chewed up and spit out, according to the script. Mark Calloway was a true professional, and, always willing to put a new or younger guy ahead, would job out for anyone. But Adam knew this wasn't the case tonight - not by a long shot.

Whenever the camera's angle would include Amy in view, the tall blond kept his eyes glued to the diva. She looked frantic as she watched her friend, who was more like a younger brother, get repeatedly pummeled. More than once, the camera focused on closeups of her face, and Adam knew there was a lot more to her winces than just Jeff's punishment in the ring.

For a moment, the Canadian suspected that Mr. McMahon might have told 'Taker to hurt Jeff Hardy, as there appeared to be a bit more of an edge to his offense, but he rejected the idea. Last week, the Dead Man had faced Spike Dudley and had been equally as rough - and as far as Adam knew, the small man hadn't run into any trouble with the boss.

The blond sighed, running a hand through his long hair as he watched the unmerciful ending of the match. One Last Ride later, and the big man got the win. But then Adam realized that _wasn't _quite the end. He watched as the veteran grabbed Jeff, carrying him over one shoulder, up the ramp to the stage, Lita chasing after him. The redhead begged the Dead Man repeatedly to spare her friend further torment, but the 'Taker ignored her, having other ideas. He lifted the much smaller man up and delivered a devastating Last Ride - all the way back to the arena floor off one side of the stage!

Adam couldn't believe his eyes, and, all of a sudden, the camera switched to a shot of Matt Hardy, via WWF New York - the dark-haired young man had an equally shocked and angry expression on his face.

"No!" Adam's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he watched, with further disbelief, as The Undertaker suddenly grabbed Lita by the hair. Although it was all scripted, he was furious that Vince had had her included in all of this madness. "Leave her alone!" he shouted futilely at the 'Taker on the monitor.

The redhead struggled for a moment in the huge man's grip, then managed to turn around, kicking him, connecting quite solidly with his crotch. The man doubled over in pain, and it appeared that Lita was going to be spared - but when she tried to run, she couldn't - for the 'Taker still had hold of her long red hair.

Adam's jaw dropped when, a second or so later, the Dead Man grabbed the diva, tossing her far off the stage. Although she landed on top of Jeff Hardy, he was still angry. Sure, he himself had side-suplexed this woman, had taken her down with one of his signature moves that was now dubbed the "Edge-o-matic," and had speared her countless times in the past - but this was a violence the caliber of which he could not even fathom. Even when the Dudley Boyz had put her through a table nearly two years earlier, it hadn't been _this _bad.

The camera shifted to another shot of Matt - the man had both hands to his head and again had what Adam knew must be an expression on his face that was nearly identical to the one on his own. He knew where this was all leading to - a challenge from Matt to the 'Taker for a "revenge" match on the next SmackDown - which would prove to be even more brutal than the carnage from tonight.

Adam was so angry, he wanted to punch something - like Vince McMahon's face. He had an impulsive urge to seek out the boss and give him a piece of his mind. So what if he ended up suffering the same fate as his friends? They didn't deserve this. _Amy _certainly didn't deserve it! The WWF would be very dull without her, even if she was only off the TV shows for a week.

The tall blond looked up, his face still furious as RAW cut to a commercial break. Jay stepped into the room.

"Oh, hey..."

"Did you just _see _that?" Adam asked, his voice nearly a snarl.

"Yeah - I was watching with Trish in her locker room," Jay said.

"That old prick needs to be taught a lesson," the taller man spat. "And I would _love _to have the honor of being the one that gave it to him."

His best friend stared at him, worry clearly evident in his sky blue eyes. He knew Adam had a tendency to be impulsive at times - which was not always a good thing. "You do _that_, and you get fired, man...let it go. Yeah, the old man is a piece of shit - look at what he did to poor Trish - but he's our _boss_, Adam."

"Unfortunately..." There were plenty of times the tall Canadian had wished that Stephanie, Shane or Linda was in charge - any of those McMahons would be a vast improvement over Vince. But Jay was right - there was nothing he or anyone else could do to help their friends or themselves.

Adam sighed dejectedly, then ran quick fingers through his mass of golden hair. "I just wish there was something I could do for Amy."

"I know, man...hey, I'm sure she and the Hardys won't be punished very long," the other blond said. "Come on - this is Ames and Matt and Jeff Hardy we're talking about here. They've never caused any trouble - even when Amy got into that fight with Torrie Wilson, she got off scot-free - those three are pretty much the goody two shoes of the WWF!" He laughed at his own remark.

Adam gave him a small, half-hearted smile, his mind completely focused on the redhead with whom he was so desperately in love...

--

"Hey...can I come in?" Adam asked as he tentatively peeked through the partially ajar door after knocking. He peered in at the four women inside the locker room - Trish, Stacy, Nora Greenwald - who had always been known in the company as Molly Holly but was now Mighty Molly, The Hurricane's sidekick - and Amy.

"Sure, Adam - come on in," Trish said warmly, gesturing for the tall man to enter.

Adam stepped inside, glancing at each of the divas. "Hey, ladies." His gaze stopped on Amy. The redhead appeared to be fumbling with some items in her locker, her back to him. While the other women had responded in kind to his greeting, she hadn't. And maybe he was only being paranoid, but she seemed to be deliberately ignoring him.

"Ames?" He tentatively stepped closer to her, reaching out to touch her on the upper arm, his hand making contact with her huge tattoo - which he'd always been amazed she had gotten, as it _had _to have been excrutiating.

She barely reacted to his touch, continuing her task of packing her bag. After a beat, she turned around to face him.

He winced at the look in her eyes. She looked so sad, but the hopelessness evident in her hazel depths was much worse. It was the kind of feeling Adam couldn't think of as anything other than "I've given up." He longed to wrap his arms around her and hug her for all she was worth - which would mean he would have to do so very tightly and never let go. He wanted more than _anything _to make her feel better.

"What are you doing?" he asked, finally rediscovering his voice.

"I'm packing," she stated simply. "Jeff and I are catching a late flight back to North Carolina. Since we won't be at SmackDown tomorrow night, there's no point in sticking around."

_Yes there is_, Adam thought. I _want you to stick around...because I love you_! Damn it!

Growing angry with himself, he tried to snap out of it. Despite what Jay had told him a week before, there couldn't be a _worse _time for him to focus on his feelings for her. He knew she would feel awkward and more uncomfortable than she was already feeling - and he refused to put her through more discomfort. If he ever told her, it would have to be at another time.

"Do you need any help?" _Great_, he berated himself. _Just great, now you sound like you're happy to be seeing her go. _Why couldn't he do or say anything _right _to and by her? Lately, he seemed to be all thumbs.

"No, but thanks for offering. I'm already done," the redhead replied. She looked at her stuff, then back at him. "Well...I guess I won't be around until the next house show."

Adam swallowed hard, knowing the next house show wouldn't happen until after New Year's. God, this really sucked.

Amy laughed sarcastically. "Well, at least I'll be off for the holidays...and Cody will be happy to be able to spend so much time with me."

The blond man agreed, smiling sadly, knowing that Amy's doberman _would _be thrilled to be spending all that quality time with his mistress. He guessed Cody would probably make Amy play out in the snow with him every day while she was home. He also found it unbelievable that he was suddenly feeling jealous of a _dog_.

"Yeah," he said sadly. For a moment, Adam didn't know what else to say, as he was feeling very badly that she wouldn't be around. "Hey," he finally said, a small smile coming to his handsome face, "I wish I could visit you during Christmas...I doubt I'll have the time, but I'll call you." He rubbed her shoulder affectionately and winked at the redhead.

Amy smiled, also feeling sadness creep over her. She looked up and gazed intensely into her friend's beautiful emerald eyes wordlessly for a moment. "I'm really going to miss you, Adam..."

"I know...I'll miss you, too," he replied as he moved closer to her. He pulled her in his arms for an embrace, dipping his head slightly nearer to hers, and the redhead stared up into his face, her breath catching. She suddenly became acutely aware of the fact that Trish, Stacy and Nora had all, somehow quietly left the room - and that she and the tall, handsome blond man were alone.

After a moment, they instantly parted, startled, Amy jumping slightly as the locker room door was suddenly opened. She glanced quickly over there, and Jeff was poking his head in.

"You ready, Ames?" the young man asked. "Oh, hey, Adam."

"Hi, Jeff."

"Yeah, I'm done here," the diva replied. She gazed up at the Canadian for a moment, then glanced over at the Hardy Boy. "I...I was just saying goodbye to Adam."

"Well, I'll do the same, then," Jeff said. "Take care, man...have a happy holiday, and I'll see you when we get back - whenever _that _may be." He shook his head despondently.

"Yeah, you too - enjoy your holiday - _both _of you," Adam said, glancing back over at the redhead. How close he had come to kissing her, only to be halted by Jeff's sudden appearance.

"Bye, Adam," Amy said softly as she grabbed hold of her luggage, steering it toward the doorway, where Jeff still stood waiting for her.

"Later, Ames," he replied sadly. And then she was gone. Adam left the women's locker room after her, watching as she and Jeff made their way down the hallway to leave. He ran his hand through his long blond hair as he began to think furiously about what he was going to do.


	16. Chapter 16

_Monday, December 22, 2001_

Amy felt lonely as she spent most of the holiday season pretty much alone. She hated being home all this time and sighed as she wondered how long she, Matt and Jeff would have to endure their punishment. Mr. McMahon had said it would last as long as it took - until they had learned their lesson.

She turned the TV on to RAW at nine o'clock, thinking that, if she couldn't be there with her friends, at least she could _see _them. She was amused by the two separate WWF Christmas parties, one hosted by Vince, the other by Ric Flair, who had joined the company little more than a month earlier. She smiled when she saw Chris Jericho at the "heel" party. Her outspoken blond friend had become quite the bad guy after becoming the brand new, first-ever Undisputed champion at Vengeance.

A little while later, the cameras cut to Flair's party of "faces." She frowned upon seeing Torrie Wilson, who was dressed as a sexy Mrs. Claus. As the blonde woman moved to sit on the lap of Tajiri, who was in a Santa suit, she thought about how unfair it was that she was home to rot while Torrie had been let off easily in comparison after their fight a couple of months earlier.

Her expression changed to a warm smile as the camera shifted, and she saw Edge hanging out with Kane and Albert. However, she again scowled as Torrie opened a gift box from the "Japanese Buzzsaw" - a matching bra and thong set inside. As the blonde held them up to get a better look at the lingerie, Edge looked on with a seemingly appreciative grin. But Amy knew otherwise - Adam was simply playing his role as he'd been instructed.

The redhead again felt a wave of loneliness wash over her, pulling her into a sea of despair. How she longed to be there with her friends - especially Adam. She'd only been home for five days so far, and it was killing her.

She looked down as she felt Cody, her doberman, nuzzle her on the knee with his snout. Sighing, she reached down and patted him on the head. As animals typically do, he seemed to understand how she was feeling.

--

_Three Days Later - Christmas Day, 2001_

Amy sighed as she ate a late lunch. She had the television on and _It's a Wonderful Life_ was playing for the umpteenth time. She'd always liked the movie, but it drove her nuts with its redundancy.

She looked up as she heard the sound of the doorbell, Cody barking along with it. The type of bark the dog emitted told her that someone familiar was paying them a visit.

"Merry Christmas!" Matt and Jeff Hardy both sang in stereo as she opened the door to see them standing on the front stoop. They each held a bag of gifts, and Matt held a couple of boxes, which evidently didn't fit in his bag, under his other arm.

"Merry Christmas, guys..." She exchanged a hug with Jeff as the brothers stepped into the house. When Matt was free of his presents, she shared a hug with him as well.

"We just thought we'd stop by," Jeff stated. "We exchanged gifts with Dad early this morning."

"Yeah...Ames, you should've taken us up on our invitation to our place for Christmas," the darker brother stated. "Nobody should be alone for the holiday, and Dad missed you."

"Aww, I'm sorry, guys," the redhead said, feeling lousy. "I hope you told him merry Christmas for me, at least."

"Of course we did," Jeff said, putting an arm around her. "Come on, let's get to those gifts."

Amy smiled at how much like a child her rainbow-haired friend was as he and his brother carried the presents into her living room. Cody jumped up on each of them happily, excited to see his "uncle" Matt and "uncle" Jeff.

"Here, Jeff," Amy said as she grabbed a small box from underneath the tiny plastic Christmas tree she'd set up in the corner. "This one's for you..."

The young man tore open the festive wrapping paper, and quickly opened the small box. He held up a silver chain with a multi-pointed star with an inlay of turquoise and onyx. His green eyes widened as he looked over his gift.

"Oh, Ames, this is great! Thank you," he said, pulling her into another hug and kissing her quickly on the lips.

"You're welcome," she said with a smile. "I knew you'd like it."

"I _love _it." Jeff undid the necklace's clasp and put it on.

After they went through all the gifts they had gotten for each other, Matt handed the redhead the two boxes he'd carried in that hadn't been in his bag.

"Here, these are also for you...they're not from either of us."

"They're not?" the diva questioned. She'd assumed they were from Matt, since he'd been the one holding them.

"Nope...they were sitting right out there on the stoop when we got here."

"Hmm...that's interesting," she said. As she turned her attention to the larger box, the Hardys exchanged a secret smile.

Amy gasped as she held up the contents, her eyes slightly widened. "Oh, God...this is gorgeous!" she cried, eyeing the smoky gray, obviously expensive cashmere sweater she held. "Oh, this is _so_ beautiful! I _love _cashmere..." She looked at each of her friends in turn, puzzled. "...who is this from?"

"Err, Ames - there's a card in the box," Jeff pointed out, gesturing with his head and right hand.

Amy peered down and pulled out a small card which she hadn't noticed because it had been underneath the sweater, in its protective, decorative tissue paper. As she read the neat, printed handwriting, her breath caught.

_Amy,_

_I just wanted to make sure these got to you in time for Christmas. I wish we could spend the holidays together, but hopefully, we'll see each other again soon. Enjoy the gifts, merry Christmas, and have a safe and happy New Year. Talk to you soon._

_Love, Adam_

The redhead felt slightly choked up as she finished reading. God, how sweet a guy Adam was. They'd actually spoken on the phone a couple of times since she'd been home, but he'd never mentioned this. He'd never even given her the slightest little _hint_.

"Well, who's it from?" Matt asked, nudging his younger brother knowingly.

"Adam," Amy said.

"Open the other one," Jeff insisted. She did as he requested, carefully removing the shiny paper from the small box. The Hardys waited with baited breath, both their eyes looking curious as Amy opened a black velvet box.

"Oh, my God." She removed the object nestled inside and held it up at eye's length. Jeff came closer to see it, and Matt craned his neck to get a better look.

"Wow," Jeff said as he eyed the tiny antique cameo dangling from a gold rope chain. "That must have cost him a fortune!"

"You can say _that _again," Matt agreed, his dark brown eyes glued to the beautiful jewelry. "Man...Adam's gotta have spent more on you than _we _ever have - _combined_."

"Isn't that similar to the one that was your grandma's?" Jeff was asking the redhead.

"Yes," Amy answered, a lump of emotion forming in her throat. "It's almost identical." She was afraid she might start bawling over her friends' shoulders at any moment. She thought about what a sweetheart Adam truly was.

Somehow, awhile back, she'd lost the cameo on a gold chain her grandmother had left to her. Nana had been very sick and had passed away when Amy was eighteen, but she'd left the cherished cameo, which had been her favorite, to Amy. The diva had mentioned it to Adam a few months earlier, and she couldn't believe he'd remembered. Her eyes glistened at the near replica, her heart swelling. She had to remember to thank the blond man properly the next time she saw him.

--

_Adam lay asleep in his hotel room when a sudden noise awoke him. He pushed himself up on one elbow as he surveyed the dark room but couldn't make anything out._

_Just as he was about to lay back to return to blessed sleep, the sound came again. He realized it sounded like someone walking around in the room. As the floorboards continued to slowly creak, his suspicion was confirmed - there was definitely another person in his room._

_He wondered what he should do - pretend he was asleep or put on the lamp on the nightstand by his bed to surprise the intruder. Since the darkness was so total, he couldn't tell what the person looked like. He decided to go with the former thought and make believe he was still asleep._

_He lay very still on his back for a few minutes, his head turned in the direction of the sound, trying his best to get a glimpse of the intruder. He briefly was able to make out a silhouette as the person passed by the window - definitely a woman. He felt momentarily considerably calm until he realized it might be Torrie Wilson - it seemed the pesky blonde was a few screws loose capable of raping him._

_Then, as soon as that thought struck him, the woman was suddenly on top of him, kissing him hungrily, her lips hot. Adam roughly shoved her off, then reached over for the switch on the lamp beside the bed..._

_...And froze in shock. Torrie was not the woman standing before him. The vision he beheld standing over his bed was more lovely than he'd ever seen her, clad in a sexy black and red satin and lace teddy, a red satin robe open and draped over her. Her rich auburn hair spilled like silk over her shoulders, and her hazel eyes sparkled as they drank in the sight of him laying there._

"_Amy??" he queried, unable to believe his eyes._

_She bit her lip almost shyly as she gazed down at him. "I'm sorry, Adam...I just thought you might want some company - since we didn't get to spend Christmas together." She turned around to leave, but Adam reached out to gently grasp her wrist._

_"Amy...I want that so badly...more than anything..."_

_The redhead's full lips curled into a smile._

_"...actually, I want_ you _more than anything."_

_She absorbed his words for a beat, then lowered herself to the bed, and Adam held her tightly down against him while they passionately kissed._

_Amy ran her fingers through his long hair as she moved her lips to his ear. While she nibbled gently on his earlobe, her hot breath caressing him deliciously, Adam let out a soft groan of pleasure. "Oh, God...Amy...I_ love _you."_

_She raised her head to gaze deeply down into his eyes, a smile coming to her lips. "I love you, too," she said softly, yet strongly. She placed her lips on his again, and this time, the kiss was even more passionate, if such a thing was possible._

_Adam, totally turned on, was rock-hard against her as she straddled him, a sweet smile still on her face as they gazed at each other. How long he had wished for this..._

--

"Dude!"

Adam reluctantly roused as he felt a hand shaking his left shoulder. He opened his eyes, and as they focused, he realized Jay was standing over him. Confused, he looked around the room quickly, then back at his best friend.

"What are you doing here, Jay? Where's-"

"She's in the other room," the shorter blond man replied. "Man, Adam...you were doing an awful lot of moaning in your sleep. Kept us awake half the night."

Adam sat up in the bed, running a hand through his rumpled hair. He felt so groggy. He still didn't understand how Jay had gotten into his room. Then, it hit him - he, Jay and Trish had gotten adjoining rooms, as this was one of the few hotels that had them.

Suddenly, as if on cue with his thoughts, the petite blonde appeared in the doorway of the room in which she and her boyfriend had stayed.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she quipped with a bright smile. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Adam replied. He turned to Jay, a puzzled look coming to his face. "Is Trish the only woman in that room?"

"Huh?" Now it was Jay's turn to look confused. "Of course she is. What kind of guy do you think I am?" he asked, beginning to laugh.

That was when Adam realized it had all just been a dream - a beautiful, wonderful dream, from which he hated having to wake up. He suddenly felt very empty inside.


	17. Chapter 17

_Royal Rumble, January 2002_

Adam was excited because he was going to get to see Amy that night. It was the first time in weeks he would be seeing her, as she and the Hardys would be making their "comeback" at the evening's pay-per-view.

The tall blond man had an Intercontinental title defense against William Regal, but afterward, he was going to set off to see his beautiful redheaded friend. He missed her terribly. It was as though a piece of his heart had been missing in the time since she'd been gone. And although they'd seen each other at a couple of house shows during that time, it hadn't been the same. Such shows were only a one-day thing that saw the wrestlers scrambling to the next town or city immediately after - so naturally, they hadn't had time to really hang out.

Adam was pondering leaving his locker room earlier than he'd planned in search of the redhead when there was a knock on the door. When he answered and opened it, a blur of red threw itself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Ames! I was just thinking of finding you!" he exclaimed as he held tightly to her.

She pulled back slightly and gazed up into his handsome face. "It's so good to see you!" She smiled, stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, her hand on the other side of his face.

Adam smiled at her exuberance. He wanted so badly to turn her face slightly so that she would get his lips instead of his cheek, but he didn't.

"I'm so excited!" Amy cried, a big smile on her lovely face. "I can't believe Vince decided to put Team Xtreme back together!"

"Good for you guys," the tall blond said. He was acutely aware of the fact that she was still in his arms.

"Let's get something to eat," Amy said. "I've been dying for a salad since I got here."

The pair walked together to the buffet room, Adam's arm around the redhead's waist. The Canadian man grinned at the diva's excited chattering. Her happiness made _him _happy. He realized how fast his heart was pumping.

Adam watched Amy placing salad on a plate, and he felt an urge to sweep her up in his arms and swing her around. He allowed his eyes to scan her up and down as her back was to him.

As the blond took in the thong showing above the low slung cargo pants, the urge to whip the redhead around in his arms and kiss her came over him...

...But he didn't do it. Adam knew that Amy would never slap him or anything if he ever tried to kiss her, but she would at least pull away or push him away. God, how he wanted her. Since the dream he'd had of Amy just after Christmas day, he'd wanted the redhead more than ever.

Amy suddenly turned around to face him, her eyes instantly meeting his. Her face brightened into a broad smile that went all the way up to her hazel eyes. She was so happy to be spending time with the tall blond again. God, how she'd missed him. Adam was such a sight for sore eyes. She thought he looked more gorgeous than ever, if such a thing were possible.

"Hey, good luck in your match tonight," she said with a smile.

"Thanks...you too."

The diva bounded up to him, reaching up to ruffle his long blond hair playfully. "I'm not wrestling tonight, silly...remember?"

"I know, I know!" Adam said with a chuckle. "Okay, I meant good luck distracting the Undertaker and getting shoved off the apron by him."

Amy laughed. "_Very _funny."

"I think it is...I mean, you should be going for the Women's title...hands down, you are the best female wrestler in the business, Ames...and one of the best damn wrestlers period - male _or _female."

She gazed unwaveringly into his emerald eyes, touched. "Why, thank you."

Adam grinned. "You're very welcome...and I'm just being honest."

They stared at each other for a moment, then he said, "How about a movie tonight?"

"That sounds like fun..."

"My hotel room, say right after the Rumble?"

"I'd _love _to," the redhead replied, smiling at him.

Soon after, Adam had to leave to finish preparing for his Intercontinental title defense match. Amy set out to find Chris Jericho, whom she'd missed almost as much as the taller blond in her absence. She found the Undisputed Champion in his own private locker room.

"Hi!" Jericho exclaimed upon seeing her at the door. "Long time no see..." He enveloped his friend in a hug that she eagerly returned.

"Hi, Chris! It's so good to see you..." She widened her hazel eyes at the sight of the two title belts slung over the couch in the room. "Well, look at _you_...Undisputed champ - you _go_, boy!"

"Yeah, and I must say this was an even bigger surprise than winning the WCW title," Chris quipped.

"It's amazing that Vince let you win instead of Levesque," the redhead concurred. It was common knowledge throughout the company that the boss greatly favored Paul Levesque over other wrestlers - simply because the man was his daughter's boyfriend. Subsequently, Levesque had a ton of power behind the scenes, and more times than not, what he said _went_. If he told Mr. McMahon he wanted to be Undisputed Champion, then Undisputed Champion he would be. Amy found this all incredibly biased and unfair, but that was the politics in the WWF. She knew as well as anyone that whoever ended up feuding with Triple H was doomed to failure - with the possible exceptions of The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. But guys like Chris, Edge - if he ever feuded with The Game - and even Kurt Angle, would end up on the short end of the stick.

"So, have you seen your _boyfriend _yet?" Chris teased, nudging her a little.

Amy blushed, and she could feel the goofy smile she couldn't prevent from forming on her face. "Yes, but...well, he's not my boyfriend, Chris."

"You guys are so funny..."

"Why? What do you mean?"

"I mean, all the sexual tension between you, Ames," the blond said. "You two are great friends, yeah...but you have all this unexpressed - repressed stuff between you."

"You mean like you and Stephanie McMahon have? Only Adam and I don't hate each other..." she countered.

This time, it was Chris' turn to blush, which elicited a surprised laugh from the redhead. "My God! As I live and breathe, Chris Jericho just turned red!"

"Well," Jericho said, "you know, there's talk of Mr. Schnoz and Steph in a divorce angle. If that happens, they might just put her with yours truly."

"Oh, really?" Amy questioned, raising an eyebrow. "And I bet you're really excited about _that _idea..."

After a moment in which she merely eyed him with an amused grin, she continued. "You have a little crush on Stephanie..."

"Do not." Chris stuck his tongue out at the woman.

"Do too," Amy countered, sticking her tongue back out at him.

"Shh...don't let it get around, Ames...you wouldn't want a certain huge-honkered ape after me now, would ya?"

The redhead merely laughed, throwing her head back as she did so. She hadn't felt this good in over a month.

"Hey, Amy," a voice suddenly called.

The diva and Chris looked up simultaneously to see Jeff Hardy poking his head through the locker room door.

"What's up?"

"Matt just got word that Mr. McMahon wants to see us."

"Oh?" She frowned, not knowing if this could be good or bad.

"Yeah...he asked to see the three of us as soon as possible," Jeff said.

"Okay...see you later, Junior," the diva said with a smile. "Good luck out there tonight."

"Thanks, Ames."

Amy stepped out with a wave over her shoulder. Then, turning to Jeff, she asked, "What's this all about?"

"I don't have a clue," he answered as they made their way down the hall.

As they passed directly by Adam's locker room, Amy stared at its closed door longingly for a beat. She didn't notice, but her colorful-haired friend noticed and smiled. He wondered how she could be so obviously in love with the tall blond but not say anything - especially to _him_ - as Jeff knew Amy considered him her best friend. He and Matt had actually figured out a couple of months back that the redhead was in love with Adam, and her reaction upon opening her gifts from him at Christmas had confirmed their suspicions - at least in _their _eyes. Well, he guessed she would take matters into her own hands and talk to the Canadian in her own good time.

They found Matt in the Hardys' locker room with Stacy Keibler, who looked concerned as she spoke with her boyfriend.

"I'm sure it's nothing as bad as all that, Stace," the dark-haired man was saying. "Mr. McMahon probably just wants to go over our spot tonight."

"But you've already done that," the tall blonde complained. Her pretty face looked concerned as she placed both hands against his chest. "Matt, I don't...trust him."

Jeff cleared his throat, for, apparently, neither Matt nor Stacy had realized he and Amy had entered the room. They both looked up but went back to their discussion, ignoring them for the moment.

"It'll be okay, sweetie," Matt said as he put his arms around the young woman. "We're not gonna be fired."

Amy and Jeff exchanged shocked glances. Stacy believed the three of them were going to get pink slips? But they were just making their long-awaited return!

"I'll see you a little later, okay?" the elder Hardy said softly. He exchanged a quick but sweet peck on the lips with his girlfriend before releasing her.

Stacy stared after Matt as he joined the other two members of Team Xtreme. "I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys!" she called as they headed out.

A moment later, they were at the room Vince was using as his office for the night. Jeff tentatively knocked on the door. Inside, they could hear the boss' voice call to them to come in.

"You wanted to see us, Mr. McMahon?"

"Ah, yes...I'm glad you three came so soon." He looked them over one-by-one before jumping into the reason for the meeting. "I just wanted to let you know that your punishment is officially lifted as of February 1. You three have definitely improved your conduct since December, and I'm very happy about that."

Amy exchanged quick glances with Jeff and then Matt in turn. She felt a twinge of anger. There hadn't been _anything _wrong with their "conduct." All that had happened was they'd been late to shows all of three times. Nonetheless, she held her tongue and prayed that Matt, the type of person who spoke his mind whatever the case, would do the same. They couldn't afford to get into trouble again.

"And _you_, young lady," Vince said, bringing the redhead from her thoughts to his words, "will be getting some shots at the Women's title again very soon."

Amy blinked with surprise. "Thank you."

"So, just make sure it doesn't happen again," McMahon continued, his focus now entirely on Jeff. "You three, as a unit and separately, are some of the biggest draws this company has ever had. Our ratings might actually decrease a bit without you on our shows."

Jeff swallowed, knowing he was expected to respond. "All right...I won't slip up again, Mr. McMahon."

"That's the spirit, Jeff. Good luck out there tonight, and break a leg - _figuratively_, of course."

Matt eyed the boss without a trace of amusement in his expression. He didn't appreciate the man's "joke," but he didn't comment on it, either.

The trio left the room thereafter, and none of them spoke until they were a decent distance down the hall.

"Well, I was right," Matt finally said.

"What about?" his brother asked.

"That man _is _an asshole."

"Just forget about him, Matt," Amy said. "Let's just focus on our spot out there tonight."

"That," Jeff said, "is the best suggestion I've heard all night."

--

Amy smiled as she witnessed the end of Adam's match against William Regal. The tall blond man had retained his Intercontinental championship despite the Englishman's ever-present brass knuckles.

She kept her eyes glued to the TV monitor as the referee raised Adam's arm and Howard Finkel announced him the winner - and still champion. Her smile brightened even more as she decided to go out by the curtain to meet him.

"Hey..." the Canadian said with a smile when Amy was the first sight he beheld as he stepped backstage.

"Way to go," she said, reaching out to touch the gold belt slung over his left shoulder. Her hand lowered a bit to touch his arm for a brief moment, the urge to put her arms around him for a kiss great, but she fought it off. What would he think if she just jumped him like that? He'd probably let her down easily, but he'd _still _chastise her for wanting to jump his bones.

"I'll be ready for you after you annoy 'Taker," Adam told her, his voice taking on a teasing quality. "Then we can head on out of here and see some movies." He flashed her a big grin. Amy laughed, swatting him playfully in the arm.

He left the redhead when they reached his locker room. He was a little relieved that Jay wasn't currently there and sighed as he raked a hand through his long hair. Damn it, the longer he was friends with Amy, the harder it was for him not to just make a move on her.

Adam placed his Intercontinental title belt down on one arm of the little couch in the room, then rifled through his bag for clothes to change into after his shower. He cursed himself as he dug out his shampoo and soap. There were times when he just had the urge to jump the diva. And if he were _that _rude, she might just end up slapping him after all.

Although he was a gentleman and respected his female friends, Amy more than any others, he didn't know how much longer he could control himself. If only he could work up the courage to tell her how he felt - but he was afraid because it was obvious she didn't reciprocate his feelings. Adam realized that he just fell deeper and deeper every time he saw the redhead - or even when he simpy _thought _about her. _Man_, he thought sadly, _am I in trouble_...


	18. Chapter 18

_SmackDown Taping, February 19, 2002_

"I hate my life!" Jay grumbled as he finished lacing up his wrestling boots. He'd been upset all week, as he was completely dissatisfied with the way the WWF had begun to handle Christian's persona.

"Come on, Jay," Adam said with a smirk. "It's not _that _bad."

"That's easy for _you _to say!" the shorter man cried. "_You _don't have to throw temper tantrums in the middle of the ring like some cranky two-year-old!" He tore at his long blond hair. "I really hate this!"

"Just let it go over your head," Adam said. "That's all you _can _do."

"Yeah, right! And tonight, I get to lose against _you_ of all people!"

The tall Canadian sat down to tie his own wrestling boots, then wrapped his wristbands into place. Eyeing his frustrated best friend, he shook his head. Jay had a point - a valid one at that. For the last week or so, the WWF had written into the script that Christian would be losing all of his matches, whether they were singles or tag team bouts. This was really all a way to set up a partnership and, later, a feud, with Diamond Dallas Page. Jay had explained to Adam that he didn't even so much mind having to job to everyone - his problem lay with having to flop around the canvas like a fish out of water and act like a big crybaby. Such temper tantrums were not his thing. And although Adam actually found them amusing, he felt badly for his friend for being forced to act them out when he truly hated doing so.

Looking back up at Jay, he said, "Calm down...I'm sure Trish will make you forget all about your loss to me tonight. And hey - at least you don't have to throw a tantrum tonight."

"Whatever, man...not throwing one _tonight _when I'll have to throw one in my next match doesn't sweeten the deal." Jay sat down heavily and leaned over, holding his head in his hands. "I would give _anything _to be back in a tag team with you again - why did they have to split up E&C? Hell," he said as he raised his head to look back at his friend, "I would even be happy doing the Brood stuff again. The bloodbaths, riding up in that elevator thing, that was _way _cooler than this shit..."

Adam didn't respond because there was nothing he could say that would make the other man feel better. It seemed highly doubtful the two of them would be put back together as a team. That thought made _him _feel a bit depressed. He wanted Edge and Christian reunited someday. It would be nice to go for an eighth tag team run with his best friend. Hell, it would be nice to just be a team again - even if they lost most of their matches. He'd also always thought the idea of Lita turning heel on the Hardys to hang with Edge and Christian was an awesome idea, but fat chance of _that _ever happening.

"I need a vacation," Jay muttered. "I wish Trish and I could just get away for awhile." He barely looked up when a knock sounded at their locker room door.

Adam got up to answer, and when he pulled open the door, he smiled at the sight of Amy in the doorway. She was wearing the brand new Team Xtreme T-shirt, but done with her own tasteful flavor - the hot pink shirt was cut sleeveless and short to expose her belly. Her red hair was held back away from her face by a thick white headband, and Adam noticed her olive green cargo pants were not slung as low as she normally would wear them, and her thong was barely showing. Damn Vince McMahon for making her modify her style. The diva had told him the night before that the boss had requested her presence in his office before RAW and that he'd told her to do this. He found it odd considering the man had never had a problem with it or with anything else Amy had done previous to December.

"Hey," the redhead said with a smile. "I just wanted to wish you guys a good match." Although she was speaking to both of them, she kept her hazel eyes on Adam the entire time.

"Thanks," the tall blond said with a grin. He glanced over his shoulder at Jay, who hadn't responded. He wanted to give his best friend a dirty look for snubbing Amy, but he decided to just let the other man stew in his juices instead.

The diva gave him a questioning look. Adam simply shook his head. Amy got the message, as she knew well enough how Jay felt about his current angle. She couldn't say she blamed him.

"Where's Trish?" the Canadian man suddenly asked as he glanced over toward the doorway.

"She's having her hair and makeup done," the redhead told him.

"I'm going to go see her. I'm too annoyed to just sit around here waiting for our match. Damn!" He strode to the door and slipped past Amy without another word to either of them.

Amy watched the angry man disappear down the hallway, then stepped into the room. "Poor Jay...but at least he doesn't have to throw a tantrum tonight."

"That's what _I _told him," the blond man said with a small, amused smile.

"Anyway," the redhead began, "Matt, Jeff, Stacy and I were talking with Chris a little earlier...we were talking about going out after the taping. Want to come?"

"Of course," Adam replied. _If you're going_, he thought, _I'm _there.

Amy's smile broadened. It had been awhile since they'd been out together after a show, and she was really looking forward to it. "This is sort of like a celebration for Matt and Jeff and me..."

"How so?" And then a silly thought went through his mind. It had been just about a year ago that the Matt-Lita angle in which they'd become a couple, had occurred. But certainly _that _couldn't be what she was referring to.

"Well, since we didn't get to do anything _last_ night, tonight is our night to celebrate Team Xtreme's official return."

He grinned at her. "I'm really glad you're back regularly now..."

"Yeah...me too." She gazed up into his emerald eyes, wanting nothing more than to just reach up and caress his cheek, his long blond hair. Ever since Christmas, when she'd opened those beautiful gifts from him - particularly the cameo - her feelings for this man had deepened considerably. And she had _already _been in love with him.

As Amy continued to eye her dear friend, she reflected on the night she'd thanked him for the presents. It had been right after New Year's - Wednesday, January 2nd to be exact. That was the night of the first house show of the new year.

_"Hi!" Amy cried as she saw Adam standing in the doorway of her locker room. Jay was there as well, with Trish. At the moment, they were talking in soft voices, the petite blonde gazing into her boyfriend's eyes, a big smile on her face._

_"Happy New Year, Amy..." Adam said as he stepped further into the space of the room._

_"Happy New Year." She allowed herself to be swept into the tall blond man's muscular arms, hugging him tightly. She was so excited to see him and realized how much she'd missed him in the last two weeks and two days. Although that wasn't a long time, it had felt like an eternity to her._

_Amy couldn't help but wish it were still around Christmastime and that there had been some mistletoe above their heads. She would have loved the opportunity to kiss him for the very first time _that_ way. She bit her lip as Adam held her loosely at arm's length._

_"Thank you so much for the beautiful gifts you sent...I _love _them - especially the cameo!"_

_"You're very welcome," he said a little coyly. That was another thing Amy loved about him - he was quite modest, and in more ways than one. A lot of guys as gorgeous as Adam knew how good-looking they were and carried themselves with a ton of arrogance - but not Adam. He wasn't like that at all. In fact, Amy had been very surprised when he'd told her how insecure and shy he'd been as a teenager. He was _still _a bit shy to this day, and she found that very appealing._

_"How did you remember that story I told you about my grandmother's cameo?" Amy questioned, cocking her head to one side as she stared up into his warm green eyes. The only people who ever seemed to remember that story were Matt and Jeff, but then, they went back a ways. Both brothers had met her grandmother on more than one occasion._

_"I wouldn't forget something like that," Adam said softly, his eyes locked with hers. He shrugged. "Besides, I have a really good memory."_

_She smiled. "Well, thank you again...I love the gifts..." _And I love _you_, _she thought. She bit her lip again, reaching up to touch the cameo, which she'd worn. She had been wearing it pretty much every day since opening it on Christmas._

_"It looks beautiful on you," the Canadian said. "I mean, _you _look beautiful wearing it..." He allowed his eyes to absorb the sight of her, her happiness._

_Amy bit her lip again, a feeling of slight inadequacy coming over her. She had sent Adam Christmas gifts as well - a PlayStation hockey game, for she knew what a video game freak he was, and three CDs she knew he didn't have and would enjoy. Her presents seemed so impersonal, while his gifts to her had been the exact opposite. She felt a little bad about this, although he'd called her thanking her for them, claiming he loved them..._

"Well, I'd better go out there," Adam said, breaking through the redhead's reverie. "Jay's and my match is one of the early ones tonight, and I'm guessing he's just pacing around by Trish. I hope she can calm him down."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll find a way to do that," Amy replied, grinning mischievously.

"Want to wait with me?"

Amy smiled up at him. "Sure..."

As they walked out into the hallway together, the diva spoke again. "Stacy told me she's worried about Matt..." She shook her head, rolling her eyes, although she thought it was sweet how the tall blonde woman worried so much about her boyfriend. "...it's like, ever since they've become a couple, she worries every time he gets in the ring - she's so sure he'll get hurt. Funny thing is that he hasn't gotten hurt once since they started dating. But before - whoa."

Adam smirked and nodded, knowing full well the darker Hardy's injury history. The man just always seemed to get hurt. Whenever he and Jay had had a match against the Hardys, or whenever the four of them had one with the Dudleys, Matt was always the first one to come out injured. He recalled how badly his friend had been busted open in the steel cage match they'd had at Unforgiven in September of 2000. _That _had been bloody. He and Jay had been so concerned for Matt and had felt a little guilty - even though it was in their scripts to smash him head-first into the cage. The poor guy had needed eleven stitches following the match. Actually, now that he thought about it, Adam didn't blame Stacy one bit for worrying. He knew how the leggy blonde felt. He worried about Amy each and every time she went out there for a match, particularly because of all the high-flying maneuvers she did.

But love did that to people - it caused them to worry more about the object of their affection... Only the redhead didn't know how he felt about her.


	19. Chapter 19

_RAW, March 11, 2002_

Some fun events had been happening for WWF superstars as of late. A few months earlier, Amy had been on the TV game show _Weakest Link _- along with Booker T, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, The Big Show, William Regal and a couple of other wrestlers. Although she'd been the third to last person eliminated, the redhead had had a lot of fun. Not surprisingly, Triple H had won, although Amy had thought Stephanie was the one who most deserved title of Strongest Link.

More recently, Amy, along with Matt and Jeff, Molly Holly, Jacqueline and Test had been on the TV show Fear Factor. Because Matt had the best "poker face," so to speak, he had ended up the winner. Amy found it ironic that _he _had been the one to coin their Team Xtreme phrase "Fear is only a four-letter word."

A couple of weeks previous, Adam too had been on _Weakest Link - _along with the Dudley Boyz, Kane, Terri, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Debra and Jerry "The King" Lawler - for the second special WWF edition of the popular game show. Amy knew he hadn't won, but he nor anyone else would indulge her as to what happened. She knew the tall, handsome blond man hadn't won, as that honor had ended up being Kane's - Adam himself had insisted Amy wait to actually see the show when it aired on television.

It had run the previous night, and the two of them had watched in Amy's hotel room.

_Amy smiled as she drank in the sight of her Canadian friend. He looked gorgeous in his beige jacket and blue jeans, running a hand through his long blond hair as he stood with the other superstars before the game was underway._

_The redhead rested on her stomach, her chin resting on her hands, elbows propped up on the bed as she watched. The first round went quickly, and D'Von and Debra had answered a couple of questions incorrectly. She answered the ones she knew the answers to aloud._

_"Aww, you only missed one letter," she said with a slight grin of amusement as she looked over her shoulder at Adam. She was referring to his response of "Ocean Eleven" for the movie "Oceans Eleven," starring George Clooney._

_"Yeah," he said. "Just wait..." He gestured to the TV screen._

_The competitors were announcing their votes for Weakest Link. Amy's jaw dropped at the results._

_"What a couple of little bitches!" she cried with a chuckle. Both Terri and Debra had voted Edge as the Weakest Link, which she found odd. Well, at least the Little She-Devil had claimed she chose the tall blond man because she felt "he should have been able to get out the word _'Oceans.'_ Debra must have had some other reason to pick him, but clearly, D'Von deserved to be the Weakest Link, as he had missed a couple of simple questions._

_It came down to a tie for who should be ejected first - between Edge and D'Von. Amy laughed when Buh-Buh Ray said something about being "one-half of the greatest tag team in the history of the WWF." The camera had shifted to Edge, whose reaction to that statement simply said, "Excuse me??" The redhead turned to gaze at her blond friend, who met her eyes and smiled._

_"I thought _you and Christian_ were supposed to be the greatest team in the history of the company..." she quipped._

_"Yeah, well..._those _guys obviously think differently." Adam smirked._

_Buh-Buh, who was the Strongest Link for the round, had the choice of electing either Edge or D'Von as the Weakest. Obviously, the blond man was at a huge disadvantage - because how could he compete with the man's tag team partner? As expected in this predicament, Edge was the one to end up booted first. As he walked off the set, the Canadian turned back and said, "I was screwed!"_

_"Aww!" Amy exclaimed. "You really _did _get screwed...that was _so _unfair! And all you missed was one measly _letter_!"_

_Adam nodded. "Like I said at the show, Deadweight D'Von should've been gone first. If I hadn't been ganged up on, I think I could've lasted in there awhile."_

_"Oh, I _know _you could have - you _would _have." She didn't add that, now that Adam had been eliminated, she no longer had that enthusiasm to watch the rest of the show._

Now, during RAW, _Weakest Link_ was a part of the promo involving Edge and Booker T, with whom the tall blond was currently feuding.

Amy sat in her locker room watching Kurt Angle insulting the fans when Booker T suddenly came out from the back to put in his two cents.

She looked up as someone suddenly knocked on the door. "Come in!"

"Hey...want some company for awhile?" It was Chris Jericho.

"Hey, Chris - yeah, come on in." She patted the opposite side of the couch for him to sit by her.

"Loverboy on yet?" the blond man teased with a smirk.

The diva blushed, unable to contain the beaming smile from forming on her face. "No...not yet," she replied, turning her eyes back to the screen. It was that moment that Edge's theme music began to play. Following the seductive female voice: "You think you know me..." came the familiar guitar riffs of Rob Zombie's "Never Gonna Stop."

Chris glanced at Amy, noting the gentle smile on her face, the way her hazel eyes focused, unblinking, on the vision of the tall Canadian. She truly was in love with Adam, and he wondered why she still hadn't told him. As it was, Chris had his suspicions that the blond man had the same feelings toward _her_.

The redhead laughed as a clip of Booker on the edition of _Weakest Link _they'd appeared on was shown as Edge's request. She hadn't forgotten how badly the former five-time WCW champion had fared. Then, she laughed even harder at the expression on the man's face when the clip ended. Chris joined her by adding his own laughter at Edge's little joke thereafter - "Funny how a man with the word 'book' in his name has apparently never _read _one."

Amy bit her lip as she studied Adam on the screen. He looked so good in his tight black leather pants and gray button-down shirt. This was the first she was actually seeing him tonight, as he'd had a daytime appearance and hadn't had a chance to hang out before RAW.

The segment came to an end soon after when Edge issued a challenge to Booker T for a match at WrestleMania. Then, after an acceptance, the blond requested Kurt Angle's music be cued up - so everyone could practice their "You Sucks."

"Now _that_ was a great promo!" Chris said with a chuckle as the Olympic Hero made his way up the ramp, mouthing "kiss my ass" to the crowd. "You know, they ought to give Adam more mic time."

The redhead smiled, a sparkle still in her hazel eyes. "You're right, Chris...he could definitely put even _you _to shame..."

"Well...I wouldn't go _that _far," Jericho quipped.

Amy giggled as she reached over to ruffle her friend's long blond hair.

After a moment in which they were both silent, Chris turned to the diva seriously. "Hey...I know we've been down this road before, Ames, but...I really think you should tell him how you feel."

The happy expression suddenly disappeared from the diva's face, and she ran one hand through her long hair before turning back to face her friend.

"Chris, listen to me...Adam and I have spent countless times alone together...if he felt _that _way about me, he would have told me by now..." Her voice took on a sad quality as she continued. "...or at least tried to make a move on me."

Jericho absorbed the woman's words, then nodded. "I guess you're right...I know _I _would certainly do that - make a move on you, that is..." His last statement elicited a bit of a smirk from the redhead. "...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset you."

"That's okay." Amy turned back to the TV screen, crossing her legs primly as she did so.

The blond didn't say another word on the subject of the redhead and Adam again, but he was still unconvinced. He wished there were a way he could play matchmaker for the two of them - but he couldn't do that because Amy had told him not to say anything to the tall Canadian a few months earlier. Still, he was certain Adam reciprocated her feelings - and he if his suspicions were indeed correct, he thought his two friends should be together.

--

"Hey," Amy said with a smile as she and Trish stepped into Adam and Jay's locker room later on. Both their matches had already happened, and they were going out after RAW. "Too bad you had to team up with The Big Show - I bet you'd have won if Kane had been your tag partner."

Adam smiled at the redhead, then nodded in agreement. "Probably." He took in her appearance and was slightly distracted. She was wearing a low-cut, crushed velvet shirt in a flattering shade of deep red and a skintight pair of black satiny hip-hugging pants. Adam didn't miss the clear view of the generous amount of cleavage that was showing, nor how the diva's pants clung tantalizingly to her hips, butt and thighs. He wondered howin hell he was going to to make it through the night without completely making a fool of himself with her dressed like that.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Trish asked. She was sitting on Jay's lap on the couch across the room. "Are we waiting for Chris, or is he meeting us there?"

"Meeting us," Amy replied. "He said he wanted to speak to Stephanie for awhile after the show."

"What's he thinking?" Adam asked, a look of incredulity on his handsome face. "He's not going to do anything stupid, like ask her out, is he?"

"No, it's nothing like that," the redhead said. "Something to do with match strategy and their current storyline...besides," she added, "what's really so horrible about him asking her out? Okay, yeah, she's with Hunter, but...well, if a guy liked _me_, I wouldn't want him to hesitate on letting me know...he should just go for it - you know?" She swung her hazel eyes to directly meet the tall blond's green ones, a small smile on her face. After she'd hung out with Chris earlier that evening, she'd swallowed her fears and decided to just throw Adam any signal that might have an opportunity to present itself. And she felt that what she'd just said was a pretty obvious one.

She could sense Trish and Jay's eyes on the both of them, and she couldn't help but wonder what they were thinking. Amy was certain Trish would say something to her later on about this. But most importantly, she wondered what was going on in Adam's mind.

The tall blond appeared slightly nervous, licking his lips and raking a hand through his long hair. He felt his heart start to pound like a double bass drum in his chest as he continued to study Amy. As well as he knew her, he wasn't quite sure what she'd meant by that comment. Was she offering him an invitation to ask her out, or was she merely putting herself in Stephanie McMahon's shoes and saying that Chris should say something to _her_? He wasn't sure - women were so complex. When they said one thing, oftentimes they meant something completely different - at least in _his _experience.

"Well," Trish said, suddenly breaking up Adam's thoughts, "we'd better go meet Jeff, Stacy, Matt and Shane if we're going to do anything tonight." She rose from her boyfriend's lap and tugged on his hand.

Adam watched them leave the room, and then he turned back to Amy. The redhead was gazing at him thoughtfully, as if pondering something. After a beat, she smiled. "We'd better go with them..."

--

Chris Jericho made his way into the club where he'd promised to meet his friends and smiled. He was not alone, as he'd somehow managed to convince Stephanie McMahon to accept his invitation to join him. He'd insisted it would not be a _date_, but rather two friends hanging out with other a group of other friends. The brunette had smiled and agreed, but she hadn't exactly told her boyfriend where she was going and with whom.

"Well, would you take a look at that," Jay said with a little laugh. Trish, Amy, Adam, Jeff and Shane Helms all looked up in the direction he was staring. Beside him, his girlfriend let out a surprised little gasp.

"I don't believe my eyes!" the little blonde quipped.

Amy smiled with amusement, shifting her eyes to Adam's. The tall Canadian looked surprised and gave her a half-smirk, half-smile, then winked. "Interesting turn of events."

"Hey," Chris said as he and the brunette were finally at the table. He pulled up a chair for Stephanie to sit down. After she thanked him, taking the seat, she said hello to the others. The only two from their group not at the table were Matt and Stacy, who were on the dance floor and currently bumping and grinding.

"Well, this sure is a pleasant surprise," Trish said as she regarded the boss' daughter. "Glad you could join us, Stephanie."

"Yeah, well...I thought it would be fun to do something like this...Paul and I are usually all just business. Not that I don't enjoy the business, but when that's _all _you do, it gets a little boring."

Jericho smiled as he studied the young woman's face as she spoke. It was clearly obvious that he was completely smitten with her - well, maybe obvious to everyone but Stephanie...


	20. Chapter 20

As he stood by the bar ordering his second beer for the night, Chris eyed his assortment of friends. Matt and Stacy were still on the dance floor, the tall blonde woman laughing throatily at something her boyfriend had said. Jay and Trish were at the table with their drinks and some food. The petite blonde was smiling as she fed her fellow Canadian some chicken fingers and mozzerella sticks. Amy was on the dance floor with Jeff, and the two of them appeared almost to be the center of attention, as both were great dancers and were really "gettin' jiggy with it." And finally, also at the table sat Adam and Stephanie. The two of them seemed, at least for the moment, the odd ones out, and they were making conversation and nursing drinks of their own.

From where he stood, Jericho had a perfect view of Stephanie's face. A sudden impulse coming to him, he raised his free hand to wave, hoping to capture the brunette's attention. He succeeded. As the young woman made eye contact with him, her pretty face brightening with a smile, Chris made a gesture, pointing at Adam.

After a few seconds, he noticed Steph speaking to the tall blond, her eyes going back to him. And then Adam glanced over his shoulder at him.

Chris made a "come here" gesture, and the tall Canadian slid out away from the table, bringing his beer with him.

"Hey, Chris...what's up?"

The other blond gave him a small, sly smile. "Err...not too much...I just wanted to talk to you for a minute."

"What about?" Adam asked as he laid his stein down on the bar. He wondered what his friend was up to and assumed it had something to do with Stephanie.

"Real simple, Junior," Chris quipped after a swallow of his beverage. "Do you have any interest in anyone at the moment?"

Adam was taken aback. "Why do you ask?" Fleetingly, he wondered if Chris had noticed him talking with Stephanie at the table and if the shorter man thought he was interested in her.

"I'm just wondering is all..."

The tall Canadian raised an eyebrow, not buying into such a response. "No, seriously, Chris..._why _do you ask?"

The older man allowed his gaze to travel across the club to Amy ever so briefly - a short enough time to ensure that his friend would never be any the wiser. He was taking a big risk here, as he'd promised the redhead he wouldn't breathe a word to the tall man about her feelings for him.

"Well...I really _am _just wondering, Adam...that's all there is to it."

"Is this about Stephanie?" the lanky blond questioned. "Because I really was just making friendly conversation...why would _I _want to risk Paul Levesque's wrath?" he emphasized.

Chris rolled his eyes, getting impatient with his friend. "Would you please just answer my question already, Junior?"

"Well...yeah," Adam finally replied. He ran a hand through his long hair, noting the way Jericho's eyebrows quirked upward for a second. Then, the man's lips curled into a smile.

"Okay...now, here's the really hard part," the smaller blond quipped. "Who is this lucky lady?"

Adam stared at his friend suspiciously, again wondering what the typically smart aleck man was up to. Could it perhaps be that Chris was also interested in someone, and this was his way of making sure they weren't hot for the same girl? With Jericho, he could never be sure. The man was his friend, but at the same time, he could be extremely secretive and mysterious - and a bit mischievous as well.

"It's okay to tell me, Adam...I won't say a word," Jericho promised. The smile was still present on his face, but the right corner of his lip arched a bit more.

The tall blond remained silent for a beat longer, then chanced a glance over his shoulder toward the dance floor. He smiled at how happy Amy looked as she continued to dance with the colorful-haired Hardy Boy.

"It's Amy, isn't it?"

Adam whipped his head back toward Chris, surprised. "How did you...?"

"Aw, come on, give me a little credit," the other man quipped. "It's so obvious by the way you look at her."

The taller blond was silent for a moment as he glanced down at his beer. Then, "You're not going to say anything to her, are you?" In truth, he wouldn't really mind it if Jericho _did_, but he really felt it was _his _place to tell Amy how he felt about her.

"Nah, I won't do that," the older man replied. "But why haven't _you_ told her?"

"Well..." Adam again raked his hand through his hair. "...just a little nervous, I guess."

Chris stared at him for a long moment in silence as he considered the situation and his options - there were so little of them, given his promise to Amy. He grinned as an idea suddenly struck him.

"Would you like to let her know how you feel _without _actually having the words leave your mouth?"

The tall blond cocked his head to one side, his eyebrow arched as he regarded his friend suspiciously.

Amy returned to the table and sat down across from Stephanie, who was now there alone, as Jay and Trish had gotten up to dance a few minutes earlier. The brunette seemed a little out of place, and maybe even a bit lonely as she sipped on a glass of sherry.

"So, Steph," the redhead began, "how are things going?"

"Oh, okay...I _guess_..." The brunette met the other woman's eyes briefly, and Amy could tell that she was lying.

"Well, you seem to be enjoying this current storyling with Chris."

"Yeah, I really am," Stephanie said, a small smile touching her lips. After another quick sip of her beverage, she continued. "I'm having a lot of fun working with him, you know? I haven't been enjoying my storylines for awhile, but this one is a blast." Her voice was full of enthusiasm, and the redhead noticed her facial expression matched. "Chris is a lot of fun, and...well, I guess I'm feeling a little sad that it's all going to be coming to an end soon..."

Vince, rather than his daughter, was in charge of the current angle going on between his daughter, the Undisputed champion and Triple H. When this story had begun, Chris had come up with the idea of Stephanie's "pregnancy" being as a result of an affair with _him_ - since the brunette was being placed with him, anyway - but that had been prompty shot down in flames. As it turned out, the "pregnancy" was decided to be a lie so Stephanie could hold onto her disgruntled husband. On top of all this, Mr. McMahon had emphatically stated that the end of March was going to signify a lot of changes, the end of several things - and a "new beginning" of sorts - whatever _that _meant.

As the brunette continued talking about Chris, Amy suddenly realized something - Stephanie really liked him. And if her instincts were correct, she liked him a _lot_. Judging from the way she spoke of Paul Levesque, the young woman wasn't all that thrilled with her boyfriend - but when she spoke of Jericho... Amy bit her lip as Stephanie began speaking of the upcoming WrestleMania, an idea taking shape in her mind.


	21. Chapter 21

_WrestleMania X-8, March 17, 2002_

"What's this?" Amy asked aloud as she and Trish stepped into the locker room. They had just arrived at the Skydome in Toronto, the little blonde's hometown - as well as, of course, Adam and Jay's.

Trish glanced over to where the other woman's eyes were looking, noticing the single red rose laying atop a small, gift-wrapped box.

"Hmm...good question. But the more accurate question would be _who _is it for?"

The redhead picked up the flower, inhaling deeply of its beautiful fragrance, then turned her attention to the box. She sat down on the couch in front of the small coffee table upon which the objects had sat, examining them.

"There's a little card here," she said, pulling it off of the box. "That will tell us who they're for..." Her hazel eyes widened in surprise as she read the typewritten words:

_Amy-_

_These are just small tokens to let you know how much I care for you. You are more special to me than I could probably ever express in words. Good luck in your match tonight. You'll be hearing from me again soon._

"Hmm..."

"Well?" the petite blonde asked impatiently as she lowered her bag to the floor and slid over to the other side of the couch. "Who's this stuff for?"

"_Me_, actually..." Amy handed her friend the small car, a tiny smile on her face. As Trish read the note, she tore at the paper on the little box.

"Mmm! Guliyan chocolates!" the redhead happily exclaimed. She instantly tore open the box. Whoever had left these for her obviously knew she had a weakness for the gourmet chocolate shells.

"This sounds awfully fishy to me," Trish said with a slight frown of disapproval.

"How so?" Amy queried as she popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth, nearly melting at the exquisite taste.

"The whole note - it sounds like some crazed, obsessive fan is stalking you..."

"You really think so?"

"It _might _be."

Amy took the card back from her friend and glanced it over again, wondering how anyone would know how much she loved Guliyans unless they _knew _her - and well enough, at that. "Nah..." She shook her head. "I doubt it very much...it just seems like someone who _knows _me," she said wonderingly.

"I suppose..." the blonde said, one eyebrow arched. She guessed it _was _a good possibility, considering the chocolates. "Well...I guess _that _would mean that somebody likes you, Amy," she said, her face brightening with a genuine smile.

The redhead nodded, the tiny smile still on her face. "Yeah...I wonder who it is?"

--

Chris Jericho set down the arena hallway to a locker room, no doubt in his mind who he would be paying this visit to.

He came to the appropriate door, then knocked as he waited for a response.

"Hey," Adam said as he opened the door to see the Undisputed champion.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Chris said as he pushed his way into the room without waiting for an invitation. He sat down on a chair opposite the taller man. Then, looking up at his friend, one corner of his mouth arched up into a devilish smirk. "It's _you_, isn't it?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Adam sat down and began pulling on his wrestling boots, as his match against Booker T was to occur within the first hour or so of the pay-per-view.

"Don't give me 'huh,'" Chris said. "I just ran into Trish at the buffet room - she told me all about Amy's new secret admirer...a single, long-stemmed rose? A box of Guliyan chocolates - her _favorites_? C'mon, Junior - that totally reeks of _you_."

Surprised, the tall Canadian let out a sigh. "Okay...I thought a lot about what you said last week over the last few days...and I decided to do this," he admitted.

Chris' smirk deepened. "But she doesn't know it's _you_...my whole idea was for you to write her a letter and sign your _name_." The thought had brewed in the blond man's mind for awhile the night he had last brought up the subject of Adam to Amy - he'd begun to have suspicions that the Canadian might reciprocate her feelings, and this would be a good way of him helping to get them together without actually spilling the beans to anyone. It was a simple plan, but Adam had changed the rules.

"I know, but I thought a lot about it, and I like_ this_ idea better...and I think Amy will like having a secret admirer. Women like that sort of thing."

Jericho started laughing. "Yeah, I guess..." _And since she's as clueless as _you _are, _he thought, _she's going to have fun trying to figure out who's so madly in love with her... _Aloud, he said, "So, what are you going to do next?"

"I'm not sure," the younger man admitted. "I guess I'll just have to play it by ear...

--

Amy was rapt as she and Trish sat in their locker room watching what was, so far, the best match of the night - Edge vs. Booker T. Both men were very polished and fluid in the ring, and they paired off as opponents very nicely. The only sloppy part of the bout had been when Adam had executed a hurricanrana from the top turnbuckle to Booker. The blond man hadn't thrown his opponent far enough, and the former five-time WCW champion landed partially on Adam's back.

The redhead winced, and, simultaneously, she and Trish let out matching groans upon that spot in the match. She realized how lucky Adam had been, because his back could have gotten really messed up if Booker had landed more solidly on him.

Amy sighed as she thought about her new secret admirer. Basically, this man could be almost anyone, but in truth, she was hoping it was her handsome blond Canadian friend. She bit her lip, knowing it couldn't be him, and she felt a wave of sadness. Although she wanted more than anything for Adam to be her admirer, she didn't see how such a thing were possible - for one thing, she believed the tall blond would be more straight-forward if he had a thing for her - which was the same reason she'd _never _thought he'd had feelings for her. She also didn't think that sort of thing was his style, in general.

So, who could this mystery man be? Definitely not Chris - the other blond man was even less of a candidate than Adam was. With his _very _outgoing demeanor, he was instantly eliminated from the redhead's mental list of possible secret admirers. Without a doubt, Jericho would waste _no _time in letting a woman know he liked her.

Amy smiled as, in the ring, Edge suddenly began mimicking Booker T's pre-Spinarooi antics. He waved a hand in the air, shaking his head almost maniacally before turning onto his back on the canvas. Her small grin turned into a full-fledged, whole-hearted laugh as the blond man took it even further and attempted a Spinarooni.

She felt a tugging at her heart as the most unbelievable desire swept through her. She wanted so badly for her new secret admirer to be Adam. He was so very special to her. She decided that, after the pay-per-view was over, she would meet up with him and play it subtle - try to find out whatever she could to find out if it was him.

--

Later, Adam and Jay sat in their locker room as they watched the triple threat Women's title match between Lita, Trish Stratus and the champion, Jazz. They smiled at the fact that the little blonde diva had worn an outfit displaying the Canadian flag here in their hometown. The crowd had responded to her with delight.

"God damn!" the taller man exclaimed as Jazz lifted the redhead up in that lethal-looking Chicken Wing submission hold of hers. He didn't understand how the woman didn't dislocate her opponents shoulders executing the maneuver. "Jeez, poor Amy. That Jazz is very stiff in the ring - hell, _I _wouldn't want to face her."

"I know, man," Jay concurred. "She'd probably rip our balls right off." He shuddered at that imagery. He'd always considered Joanie Laurer to be pretty stiff in the ring, but the former Intercontinental champion was gentle in comparison to the current Women's title-holder.

The match lasted several more minutes, ending up with Trish being shoved off the apron to the floor, only to have the same thing happen again as she valiantly attempted to get back up, and Lita being superplexed by Jazz. After that move, the champion pinned the redhead for the three and the win, retaining her title.

"No fair!" the shorter blond complained. "Me and Trish should've been allowed to win." Earlier that evening, he had lost his own match against DDP.

"Yeah, right - with your current gimmick, what makes you think you'd get pushed enough to win at WrestleMania?" Adam quipped. And then, as he noted the expression on Jay's face, he regretted what he'd said. "Oh, Jay...I'm really sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Forget it, Adam...just forget it. At least the crybaby angle's going to end soon enough."

Adam couldn't help feeling guilty. He knew how much Jay hated his current predicament in the company.

"Let's go visit the girls..." his best friend suggested. He stood up and headed for the door, and Adam rose and followed him. As they walked to the curtain where the three competitors would be returning from their match, he held his breath, wondering if Amy had figured anything out about her new secret admirer...


	22. Chapter 22

"God!" Amy exclaimed as she and Trish made their way to the backstage area. They actually both hobbled a bit, as they were feeling a myriad of aches and pains as a result of the match in which they'd just competed. Amy had landed most of her weight on her left hip after Jazz's superplex off the top turnbuckle. The little blonde hometown heroine had an aching knee after getting hung up on the ropes by it toward the end of the match.

The two women looked up to see Adam and Jay standing in wait for them just past the curtain. The shorter of the two rushed to his girlfriend's side as he noticed she was limping a bit.

"Trish...baby, are you all right?" His voice was full of concern, as were his sky blue eyes.

"Just peachy," the petite blonde replied with a grimace. "No, seriously," she said as she noted the look of worry on her boyfriend's countenance. "I'll be okay after I put some ice on this thing." She leaned on Jay, her arm going up around his shoulders as they continued to walk.

"You okay, Ames?" Adam was questioning the redhead. His green eyes looked equally concerned for her as Jay's did for Trish.

"Yeah," she said with a grimace. "I'll be all right...just a bruise. But _damn_, that Jazz has sure bulked up a lot since we were in ECW together!"

"Yeah? Maybe she's _on _something."

"I don't know...but she's definitely pumped up. I had a match against her sometime back in '99 - a mixed tag actually, and _I _was bigger than _her _back then." The redhead shook her head.

Adam grinned at her. "You look like you could use a nice, long soak in a hot tub..."

"You know, you're right - I _could _use that." She chuckled as they approached the locker room she and Trish were sharing. "By the way, I really enjoyed your match earlier," Amy said, looking up into the tall blond's eyes. "But that Spinarooni - What's up wit dat?!" she quipped, mimicking Shane Helms' Hurricane persona.

Jay let out a booming laugh as he held an arm around Trish's waist. "You mean the 'Whitearooni!'"

"The who??"

"'Whitearooni,'" Adam said with a chuckle. "That's what I named my version of Booker T's move."

The redhead stared at him, trying desperately to contain the laughter she felt coming, but failed miserably as she sputtered with the sheer hilarity of it all.

"You're too much!"

Trish laughed a little as well, despite the pain in her knee. "You ought to ask Booker for some pointers..." she quipped.

"Hey, if I practice enough, I'll get it eventually!"

The whole group laughed. "Well, we'll leave you ladies to get showered and dressed," the tall Canadian said.

"Yeah," Jay concurred. "Unless...hey, babe...do you need any help?" he asked the blonde at his side. "Because if you _do_, I'll be more than happy to lend you a hand in the shower, or-"

"Get a _room_, you two!" His best friend's voice was booming. "There are other people here with you, you know!" Adam shifted his eyes toward Amy, then winked at her. The redhead smiled with amusement.

Adam smiled to himself as he and Jay stood outside Amy and Trish's locker room, waiting for the two women.

He thought about his idea, and what he'd done earlier that evening. It seemed to be perfect - even the event he'd chosen to begin this thing, WrestleMania, was just so fitting. The only days that might have been better were Valentine's Day and Amy's birthday.

He'd thought this over in the week since he and Chris had spoken at that club. He'd opted for the secret admirer thing over Jericho's idea of the love letter because it was more mysterious - and, in this regard, mysterious meant more fun.

"Hey, what are _you _smiling about?" Jay suddenly asked him. And then, before the taller blond could answer, his best friend continued. "Yeah, I know - you don't have to tell me. You're happy because _you _got to win here in our hometown." He gave a sardonic little laugh. "Funny - so far, you've gone three and oh at WrestleMania in your career, while I, ironically enough, have _lost _at WrestleMania for the first time." Jay shook his head. "Funnier still how the two times I've won were when I was in a tag team with _you_."

"Yeah," was all Adam could think of to say.

"Is that all you have to say about it? 'Yeah?'" the other man asked. "Ahh, what's the use? At least I was _at _WrestleMania, right?"

The locker room door suddenly opened, and Trish bounded out, followed by Amy.

"Hi, baby...we're all ready," the petite blonde said with a smile as she gave her boyfriend a quick kiss on the lips.

"Hey, you're not limping anymore."

"Yeah," Trish said. "I put a little ice on my knee, and it feels a lot better now. Hopefully, it'll _stay _that way."

Meanwhile, Adam looked at Amy intently, noting the small smile playing at her lips. In her left hand, she held a single red rose.

"Hey, where'd you get that from?"

The redhead glanced down at the flower, then back up at him. "Oh, this? It's from my secret admirer." She grinned, and the tall blond man thought the single gesture just about lit up the entire hallway.

"You've got a secret admirer?" Adam questioned innocently, allowing no hints in his voice or facial expression. He knew he was doing a great job of looking surprised.

"Yeah," she said as the four of them began to head for the parking lot. "Now, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"Me? No...of course not, Ames."

Amy bit her lip in an attempt to force back the wince she felt coming. Her heart seemed to sink a little. Yet, she wondered why she was feeling this way when she'd _known _right from the get-go that Adam's wasn't behind all of this.

After a beat, Adam looked up at the forms of Trish and Jay, who had been several feet ahead of them during the entire exchange.

"So, did he leave a note or anything?" he asked.

"Yeah...and some Guliyan chocolates, too," the diva admitted.

"Guliyans, hmm? Your favorites, right?" the blond man asked, smiling.

"Right...I...I wonder who it could be."

"You don't _know_? I mean, you don't have any clue?"

"Well," Amy began, "I've had a few candidates in mind, but I'm really not sure..."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough," Adam told her with a grin she didn't see, as she was looking down at the long-stemmed rose in her hand. "Something tells me your secret admirer is someone who's very close to you..."

The redhead turned to face him again, a feeling of wonder going through her as she wordlessly studied his handsome profile...


	23. Chapter 23

Adam and Amy stepped into the hotel lobby with their bags, the redhead still clutching the red rose. She was planning to put it in some water back in her room, and after they left all their stuff here, they were hitting a popular area club. Since it was the most popular one in this area of Toronto, Adam, Jay, Trish and Drew all knew about it.

Amy turned her head in the direction of a familiar feminine voice - one she hadn't heard in several months other than over the phone once in awhile. And then she saw the woman standing by the check-in desk.

"Oh, my God..._Joanie_?!"

The woman turned her head in her direction, and her face instantly lit up with all the pleasant surprise she felt.

"Amy!"

Joanie Laurer rushed to meet the redhead halfway, and the two women embraced and laughed.

Meanwhile, Adam stood there for a beat, his bag still in hand as he watched the girlish exchange. He laughed and stepped forward to join them.

"You look great!" Amy cried as she took in her friend's appearance. Joanie had let her hair go back to its natural shade of dark honey-blonde.

"Thank you...and so do you, Ames!"

"Well, well...as I live and breathe..."

Joanie looked up to see the tall, handsome Canadian man standing beside her.

"Adam! How are you?" The tall woman allowed him to pull her into a hug, and she hugged him back tightly. Afterward, she looked up into his eyes, her smile bright and beaming. "Well, _you _certainly have done well for yourself in the WWF...multi-time Intercontinental champion, multi-time Tag Team champion. My, my, my..."

"Joanie," Amy said breathlessly, "it is _so _great to see you! What are you doing here? Coming back to the WWF?" she asked hopefully.

"No...I'm actually here to see my boyfriend," the Ninth Wonder of the World replied.

"Your boyfriend? Is he with the WWF?" She had no clue the other woman had been dating another superstar since Paul Levesque.

The blonde woman nodded.

"Well, who is he?" the redhead demanded playfully. "Don't leave me in suspense here!"

"Sean Waltman."

"Sean...? X-Pac?!"

"None other," Joanie replied with a grin. "We've been dating since November."

Amy frowned for a beat, then repositioned her features so that they were neutral. "Isn't he married?" she asked.

"He's getting a divorce...She just up and _left_ him. They were finished a long time ago anyway."

"Oh...well, I'm happy for you - and Sean," the redhead said genuinely, and, reaching for the other woman's hand, she enveloped Joanie in another hug.

Adam stood there watching them, and one thought went through his mind: _Women! _He found their exchange entertaining, cute.

"I was just going to surprise Sean," Joanie announced as the desk clerk finally handed her a keycard, and she bent over to pick up her bag and jacket, which had been resting atop.

"You mean he has no idea you're here?"

"Nope."

"Hey, I have an idea! A group of us were going out to this club - why don't you guys come with us?" Amy suggested.

"Are you going to be there a long time?"

"Probably...why?"

"Well, we may want to just stay in for awhile," the taller woman explained with a mischievous gleam in her eye. She nudged the redhead on the arm. "_If _you get my drift - wink, wink." She winked, then giggled.

"Oh...yeah, _I _get it," the tall blond man said in a mischievous tone of voice.

Joanie turned to give him a big grin and playfully slugged him in the arm.

Adam feigned great pain, clutching that arm, which caused both women to practically roar with laughter.

"Well," the honey-blonde said in _sotto voce_ as she neared a room, "this is it..." She pointed to the door of her boyfriend's hotel room. "Hey, Amy - why don't you give me a call on my cell phone later on for directions to this club?"

The redheaded diva turned to look up into Adam's face. "Well, _he _would probably have to give those to you, but...okay."

"Great...then see you guys later!" she said in a loud whisper.

Amy and the blond man both waved so as to be discreet, then ducked down the hall as Joanie swiped her keycard through the door.

They went to their own individual rooms to drop off their stuff, and Adam followed the redhead to hers.

He watched as she picked up a vase filled with fake flowers off the desk across the room, then she carried it to the bathroom. When she emerged seconds later, she had the single rose in some water within.

The Canadian smiled. He guessed she really _didn't _have any clue as to the identity of her secret admirer.

"That's really cool that Joanie is here," he said.

"Yeah! I couldn't believe it when I saw her," Amy said. "For a second, I thought I'd reverted back to the past - except for her blond hair, of course."

He chuckled. "Well, you know what they say - we blonds have more fun."

The diva laughed. "Hey, I have plenty of fun as a redhead!"

The tall blond winked at her. "Come on, let's get out of here..."


	24. Chapter 24

Chris squinted toward the entrance of the club as he spotted Adam, Amy, Jay and Trish coming in.

"They're finally here," he said to the others at the table at which he was sitting. Stephanie, who was sitting beside him, glanced in the direction the man was staring. Matt and Stacy, seated directly across from them, turned their heads and waved at their friends.

"Hey!" Jericho called as he stood up and waved them over.

Amy's gaze fixed momentarily on the brunette at Chris' right side. "Oh, no," she murmured, and Adam, beside her, glanced at her questioningly.

"What's wrong?"

"Jeez...Stephanie is here," she said in a loud whisper, as there was music blasting throughout the place. "I never thought of her..."

"So?" The tall blond man shrugged.

"Umm...Does the name Joanie Laurer ring a bell? Paul Levesque, perhaps? Or the fact that Paul basically dumped Joanie for Stephanie?" The redhead gazed up at him worriedly.

"Oh...oh, yeah," he replied. "Oh, no..."

"God, this is going to be awkward," Amy said. She'd already called the other woman's cell phone, giving her the directions Adam had mapped out for her.

"Why don't you call her back and tell her Stephanie's here?" the Canadian suggested.

"What's going on, you two?" Jay suddenly asked as he stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder at them. His right hand was gripping Trish's left tightly, and the petite blonde looked behind her at their friends as well.

"Nothing _you_ have to worry about," Adam replied. "But there might be a problem - Stephanie is here, and Joanie said she'd meet us all here later."

"Yikes," Trish said, making a face.

"Oh, boy..." the shorter of the two men muttered.

"Let's just go over there already," Amy said, putting her hands up in front of her. "Chris is going nuts trying to get our attention."

"Shouldn't one of us say something to him about the potential dilemma?" the blonde diva asked.

"I guess so...I'll mention it to him," the redhead promised.

As they made their way to the table, they noticed Jeff dancing wildly on the dance floor with two girls. Shane Helms, Shannon Moore and Drew were all at the bar.

"The center of attention as always," Matt said with a chuckle as he noticed them eyeing his sibling. "That's Jeffrey Hardy, my little brother."

Amy glanced past Jericho over at the young woman next to him.

"Hi, Stephanie."

"Hi, Amy," she replied with a smile.

"I'm surprised you're even out tonight," Adam said to the brunette as he sat down beside the redhead. "That was some Pedigree you took tonight!"

At the end of the main event match, Triple H had finally gotten Stephanie where he wanted her - she had entered the ring with a chair to attack her soon-to-be ex-husband, but the tables had turned. With Jericho out of the way and out of the ring, The Game had grabbed The Billion Dollar Princess, and the woman got Pedigreed for her troubles.

"Yeah...well, I _am _a little bit sore, but...I didn't feel like staying in tonight. Besides," the brunette admitted, "Paul and I had a fight."

The tall blond man and Amy exchanged glances, but beside Stephanie, Chris spoke up.

"You didn't tell me that."

She shrugged. "I didn't want to spoil the fun evening."

"Well, it seems like every time you mention him lately, you guys have always had a fight," Jericho said, concern on his face.

"We have our ups and downs," Stephanie said.

"Chris," Amy said, "would you dance with me?"

Adam turned his head to gaze at her with disappointment. He'd wanted the first dance with her - but then, he realized the diva was probably going to tell him about Joanie, which had to be why she wasn't wasting any time to dance with him.

"Sure."

The tallest blond man at the table watched them, his gaze following the redhead and Chris to the dance floor. Then, he realized that Matt and Stacy and Jay and Trish had gotten up to dance as well. Oddly, Adam felt as though he were in a deja-vu from a week earlier, when he and Stephanie had been the only two at the table in another club.

The brunette eyed him from over the glass she held in her left hand. "You're really crazy about her, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?" He turned his gaze sharply to the young woman.

Stephanie's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Amy - you really _are _crazy for her."

"How...?" The blond man cut his speech off, again feeling as though in a deja-vu, only this time, he was having this conversation with Stephanie McMahon rather than Chris Jericho.

"Oh, come on, Adam," she said. "Give me a little credit. _She_ may be totally oblivious, but _I'm _not...I _see_ things." Her smile increased, blooming into a full-fledged grin. "You're in _love _with her..."

Adam raked a hand through his long blond hair. He didn't know how comfortable he felt talking to Stephanie about his feelings for the redhead, as he and the boss' daughter had never been what one could call good friends. He also realized she was a little tipsy.

"What are you drinking?"

"Oh, this?" She tilted the glass in her hand a bit, and the little liquid that was left nearly spilled out. "Scotch on the rocks."

The tall blond arched a brow in surprise. He'd never guessed Stephanie McMahon would drink hard liquor.

--

"Chris," Amy said as she looked him seriously in his crystal-blue eyes, "we may have a bit of a problem."

"What do you mean?"

The redhead proceeded to explain. At first, Jericho reacted very favorably to the news that his old friend Joanie was in town, that he'd get to see her - but when he realized the bigger picture, his face fell.

"Oh, God..._that _could get ugly. I mean, I know Joanie didn't do anything to Steph back then - even though she would have been justified for it, but...ouch!"

"I didn't know you were going to invite Stephanie out tonight," Amy said apologetically.

"It's okay, Ames...It's not your fault. It's not _mine_, either, but...well..." Chris looked away from her for a moment, his gaze falling on Stephanie before shifting over to the tall blond man seated across from her. Then, a sly grin forming on his face, he decided to change the subject completely. He was, after all, here to have fun.

"So...aside from your match tonight - anything new?"

"As a matter of fact - yes," the redhead replied, a small smile playing at her lips. "I've got myself a secret admirer."

"Really?"

Amy nodded as she kept her eyes on Chris, searching for any signs. For some reason, she thought he _knew _about this. Something in his expression was nagging her so.

"Yeah."

"Cool. So...what'd he give you?"

"A long-stemmed red rose and a box of Guliyan chocolates," she replied, cocking her head a bit.

"Hmm...you don't say," Jericho said. "Interesting...so, did he leave you a note?"

"Of course. In it, he just basically says how special I am to him, and that I'll be hearing from him again soon."

"Ahh..." Chris glanced away for a beat before shifting his gaze back to her. "Well, you know...it _could _be a woman..."

"Eww! Chris, you're gross!" She playfully punched him in the arm, but did so hard enough so that it actually hurt a tiny bit.

"Oh, come on, Ames! That would be _so _cool, and you _know_ it!"

"Yuk! Stop it, you perv!" the redhead cried, wrinkling up her nose as she punched him again.

"Ow! That hurt, you...skank!"

Amy gave him a feigned furious look, but she was giggling all at the same time. She held her right hand up, balled in a fist as though threatening to hit him again. "Hey! Don't make me kick your ass, Junior!"

Jericho roared with laughter. "Okay! I surrender!"

She eyed him wordlessly for a moment, biting her lip before speaking again. "Chris - you knew about this, didn't you? You already knew about my secret admirer..."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" the blond asked, looking at her as though what she'd just said was ridiculous. He didn't want to blow it - after all, he'd made a promise...

"Come on, I can see it in your face. You _knew_," the redhead stated, narrowing her hazel eyes a bit.

Chris was quiet for a beat, looking thoughtful. After a brief debate with himself, he nodded. "Okay, I'll level with you...No need to worry - I know for a fact that your secret admirer is definitely male."

Amy laughed. "Oh, good. Now we're _getting _somewhere! So...who is it?" she asked, leaning a bit closer to him as though he would just blurt it out.

"Oh, no you don't," Jericho chastised. "That's all you're getting out of me, so don't even try...after all, I was nice enough to put your mind at ease by letting you know the sex of this person, wasn't I?"

Amy rolled her eyes, a feeling of excitement running through her. She almost felt like a kid again, as though she were twelve again and had just found out some boy in school had a crush on her. Grinning, she said, "Okay, okay...Just answer one more question for me - pleeeease?!"

Chris smirked at his friend, amused by the way she was behaving. She really was adorable.

"What do you want to know now?"

"Is it anyone who's here tonight?" she asked hopefully, biting her lip in anticipation of his answer.

Jericho's blue eyes took on a farawy look as he glanced up and to his right, as though really thinking about it.

"Err..._maybe_," he said vaguely.

"Oh, come on!" the young woman exclaimed. She grabbed hold of his hand, practically jumping up and down at this point. "Give me a yes or no! Don't be like that!"

"Sorry, Ames." He pulled his hand free of hers and held both arms out in a shrugging gesture.

"You're mean!" she cried, but she couldn't help the grin on her face.

"Hey, that's the way the ball bounces," Chris quipped. "But don't worry - you'll find out who it is soon enough."

Amy glanced around the club, searching for her assortment of male friends that were present. From Chris' response of the word 'maybe,' she knew her secret admirer was indeed here tonight. There was no doubt in her mind about that.

She looked over toward their table, but was surprised to see that Adam was no longer there. She soon after spotted him several feet away, dancing with Stephanie.

Amy's heart sank just a little as she stared at him - because he hadn't once looked over at her. If _he _were her admirer, certainly he would have looked her way - right?

And then she glanced around some more, her gaze traveling to the bar. Drew was gone, probably dancing with some girl by now, but Shane and Shannon were still standing there. They were having a conversation, both men holding beers. She noticed Shane happened to be staring her way, and he raised his beer to her as though to toast.

"Oh, no..." Amy felt her heart sinking even more. As she'd told Helms several months back, she loved him - but only as a friend.

While she was eyeing Shane, she failed to notice the bright emerald-green gaze that was fixed longingly and steadily on her.


	25. Chapter 25

_RAW, March 18, 2002_

Amy nearly skipped into the locker room she, Trish and Stacy were sharing for the night, a brilliant smile dominating her face. She even whistled as she stepped into the room, smiling even more broadly as she caught sight of Trish rummaging through her bag a few feet away.

"Oh, hey, Ames," the petite blonde said, smiling back as her friend sank back on the couch situated a few feet away. "Well, _you _certainly look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What's up?"

Instead of responding to the question, the redhead asked, "Where's Stacy?"

"Getting a bottle of water. She'll be right back. What's up?"

"Hold on - I want to wait for her to return," Amy said, putting up one hand. "_Then _I'll tell you." She couldn't stop smiling if her life depended on it.

"Hmm..." Trish said as she straightened up, a hand on her hip. "This oughtta be interesting." She really wondered what her friend was up to.

A moment later, Stacy stepped into the locker room, her bottle of Poland Spring under her right arm, a small box and what appeared to be a piece of paper in her hand. "Hey, Trish, look at-" The leggy blonde's words trailed off as she raised her brown eyes to see that the redhead was also in the room. "Hi, Amy." She smiled.

"Whatcha got there, Stace?" the Canadian diva asked curiously, craning her neck to try to get a better look.

"These were right out the door," the tall blonde woman replied. "They're for _you._" She neared the redheaded diva and handed them to her, then, when Amy accepted them, she shifted her water bottle to her left hand.

"Ooh, looks like another present from your secret admirer," Trish quipped with a big smile. She quickly ran over to the other two divas, a feeling of great excitement coming over her at this latest gift.

Amy gently tore open the small envelope first, pulling out the letter within. As Stacy stood in front of her, the little blonde nudged her way to the redhead's side, peering over her shoulder in an attempt to read along with her. Because the tallest diva was unable to see the letter, Amy read it aloud.

_Dear Amy,_

_I told you I'd be writing you again. Last night was a lot of fun. It's always fun clubbing with someone as fun, sweet and beautiful as you. I cherish each and every moment we spend together, though it never seems to be enough! Time just seems to fly when we're together, but then, as they say, time flies when you're having fun._

_I hope you like what's in the box. I found it in Toronto the other day when we were preparing for WrestleMania, and I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather see wearing it. It's just another token to let you know how I really feel - how much I care._

_Best of luck to you in your match against Trish tonight. I'll be watching and rooting you on (no offense, Trish!)._

"Aww! Whoever your secret admirer is, he's a real sweetheart!" Stacy cried, a smile touching her lips. "I hate to admit it, but I'm a little envious..."

Trish mock-scoffed at the last paragraph of the letter. "Humpf! '_No offense, Trish_?' What a creep - he should be cheering for _me_." Her faked scowl disappeared and was replaced by a bright grin. "Open the box already, damn it! I'm _dying _of suspense here!"

"Okay, okay already!" Amy said, shooting the petite blonde Canadian a smirk. She pulled at the red wrapping paper, then pulled the top of the little box off. As she dug inside with the fingers of her right hand, her hand came into contact with a metallic object, which she lifted out to inspect and to allow her friends to see.

"Oh, God..." she breathed, her mouth falling open. Both Stacy and Trish gasped in pleasant surprise as well.

The redhead stared at the object she held, in absolute awe. Guliyan chocolates and roses were one thing, but this was jewelry - and she _still _didn't know the identity of her admirer. Well, she suspected it might be Shane, but she couldn't be sure.

"Wow! That's gorgeous..." Stacy breathed as she reached out and touched the delicate gold chain lightly, her eyes sparkling as she examined the tiny heart locket dangling from the end of it.

"It sure is!" Trish said. "It must have cost this guy a pretty penny. I wonder who he is?"

"I don't know if I can accept this," Amy said, the smile gone from her face. While she was touched, she felt uncertain about accepting such an expensive gift from someone - especially when she didn't know who was showering her with this stuff.

"What? Are you kidding, Ames?" the small blonde asked, a slight look of incredulity on her face.

"I...Well, it's just that I feel like I'm taking advantage of someone in accepting it," the redhead explained. "I don't-"

"Amy, someone went out of his way to get this for you. If you don't keep it, you'll disappoint him," Trish reasoned. "Besides, you already know that it's someone you know, so the odds that he's gotten you nice presents in the past is more than possible - it's probably _definite_."

"True..." the other woman agreed. And she really _did _love the locket. It was exquisite and beautiful, and she wanted more than anything to put it on right away, but she had a match to prepare for - as did Trish.

Stacy was still smiling. "So, what are you going to do, Amy? Are you keeping it?"

"Yeah," the redhead relented, letting out a sigh that was half-resignation and half-contentedness. "I'll keep it." She placed it gently back into its box, then slipped it and the letter into her bag. "I'll put it on later, after our match," she said, glancing back toward Trish.

"Good idea," the little blonde said. "That way, _he _will probably see you wearing it." She finally recalled something from a few minutes earlier. "Hey! You said wanted to tell us something...What is it?"

"Oh, that's right!" Amy said, a smile spreading across her pretty face. "In all this secret admirer excitement, I forgot." Then, glancing from Trish to Stacy, she said, "Before I got here, I was called into Vince's office - I was talking with him for awhile, which is why I got here a little late..."

"And?" Stacy gestured with both hands before replacing them on her hips.

"And...you two are _not _going to believe this, but...James Cameron, the famous director, wants _me _as a special guest star on his TV show, Dark Angel...!"


	26. Chapter 26

Stacy and Trish gazed at their friend with surprise clearly etched on each of their faces.

"Oh, my God! Amy, are you serious?" Stacy asked the redhead. "You're _really _going to be on _Dark Angel_? I _love _that show!"

Amy nodded vigorously. "I told Vince I would definitely do it," she replied, glancing from the tall blonde woman to the shorter one beside her.

"Wow!" Trish exclaimed. "Looks like you're really going places, Ames. I would _love _to be a part of a TV show, even if it was only a single cameo appearance."

"Um, Trish, you _are _part of a TV show - several of them, in fact," Stacy reminded her, her voice taking on a teasing quality.

"You know what I mean, Stace...I love comedy - like what Dwayne did on _Saturday Night Live_...I would kill to get an opportunity like that."

"So, when is all of this going to happen?" the leggy diva asked as she again regarded the redhead.

"Sometime next month. Mr. McMahon told me that Cameron is going to be contacting him again, and then he'll hook it all up." She grinned. "To be honest, I get nervous just thinking about this - but it's a _good _nervous. I've been wanting to do something like this for awhile now."

"Hmm..." Trish said, one finger up against her lower lip. "I wonder how your secret admirer is going to react to this news when he hears about it?" She eyed Amy knowingly. "I think he'll approve."

"Oh, of _course _he will," Stacy answered before the redhead could say anything. "And I bet you'll get a nice little - or maybe _big _- trinket from him when you go shooting your show." The tall blonde winked.

Amy grinned at the leggy blonde's statement, then bent over to the floor and began to rummage through her bag. She and Trish had to get ready for their match later on, and Stacy had to also get dressed to accompany the Dudley Boyz to the ring for their tag team title match against Billy and Chuck.

"Come on, Trish - we don't want to be late for our match," the redhead said. The contest was scheduled to be one of the first three of the evening.

"Ooh, you're right," the little blonde said cheerfully. She bent over, reaching into her own bag and came up with a pair of shiny red glittery pants. "I was thinking of wearing these tonight - what do you think?"

"I like 'em," Amy replied. "They new?"

"Yeah."

The three divas suddenly looked up as a knock sounded on the door, and Stacy, being the closest to it as well as the only one standing, went over to answer it. She smiled when she opened the door, as it was her boyfriend who was standing right there.

"Hey, babe," the leggy blonde said, grabbing Matt by the hand and pulling him into the room.

"Hey, get out of here!" Amy cried. "Trish and I are about to get dressed."

"In a minute, Ames - in a minute. I wanted to talk to you ladies - especially _you_," he said, turning to Stacy, his lips hovering near hers. The tall young woman grinned at him.

"Okay, so what's up, Matt?" Trish asked. "Make it quick, because Amy and I have a match soon."

"Well, first off," he said, facing his girlfriend. "Are you gonna be okay getting put through a table, Stace?" He gazed worriedly into her face, as she'd never really taken too much of a bump before the one she'd take tonight. It would be her first time going through a table, and she was certainly no Amy or Trish.

"Oh, I'll be okay, sweetie," Stacy replied, her face serious, her gaze locked on his. She rubbed his hand with the pad of her thumb. "I talked with Mark and Devon about this just this afternoon, and we've gone over it at least a dozen times. You know how gentle Mark is with putting divas through a table. Just ask these two," she said, gesturing toward the other two women in the room.

Amy nodded. "He does do a good job of cushioning you," she said.

Trish nodded in agreement. "He's a big teddy bear - he'd never allow Stacy to get hurt."

Matt arched a brow, his face looking still unconvinced. "Well...okay, if you're sure about this. But if he screws it up and hurts you in any way..."

"Matt, I'll be fine - I trust those guys. They're true professionals, and you know that as well as I do..."

The dark-haired man nodded, as he had to agree with that assessment. Then, "Did y'all hear about the roster split?"

"The what?" Trish questioned, giving him an odd look.

"Exactly what I just said," Matt continued, glancing from Trish to Amy to Stacy by his side. "Because of all this McMahon-Flair business, they're splittin' the WWF into two separate rosters - half the wrestlers'll be on RAW, the other half on SmackDown."

Amy and Trish exchanged confused and surprised glances.

"How can they do _that_?" Stacy asked.

"Yeah - it sounds like an incredibly _stupid _idea," the redhead stated. "I, for one, don't like it."

"Neither do I," the elder Hardy brother admitted. "But that's what they're doing. I guess they think there are too many wrestlers in the company now, due to WCW and ECW fading away. I just hope that all of _us,_" he continued, meaning not only the four of them in the room, but also their closest friends as well, "end up on the same show."

Oh, God... Amy suddenly realized the bigger picture. Her heart nearly stopped as she thought about ending up on one show, and Adam in particular being on the other. She would hate that - it would be awful, and she didn't know how she would handle that. In fact, she didn't even want to _think _about it...


	27. Chapter 27

After their match, Amy and Trish walked back to the locker room together, and the blonde woman hesitated for a moment.

"Let's go see the guys...I want to see Jay."

"Sure..." The truth was, after what Matt had told them about a half-hour or so earlier, the redhead was anxious to see Adam. She wondered if he already knew about the roster splits.

Trish raised her hand to knock, but before she could make contact with the door, it opened, startling her a bit.

"Ooh...Hey, Adam," she said genially. "I was just about to knock."

"Hey, girls..." The tall blond man's gaze fell on Amy. "I was just about to go to _you_."

"What a coincidence...I wanted to talk to you," the redhead said.

"What about?" He ducked back into the room, and the two divas followed suit. Trish spotted Jay sitting across the room and made her way over to him.

Adam watched the petite blonde and his best friend as they spoke softly, then hugged. He shifted his gaze back to the redhead, wondering if, perhaps, she was going to question him about the whole secret admirer thing. He knew she would have qualms about keeping the locket he'd given her, but he sincerely hoped she would accept it.

However, she didn't breathe a word of any of that. Instead, she asked him something completely removed.

"Did you hear about what's happening? The roster split?"

"Yeah...That I did," he replied, raking a hand through his long hair. "Glen mentioned it to me a little while ago when we were going over our match strategy." Edge and Kane would be teaming up to face Kurt Angle and Booker T in a tag team match later that night.

"It all sounds weird to me," the redhead said, shaking her head, a small frown marring her lovely features.

"You means it sounds _stupid,_" Adam corrected her. "'_Stupid' _is a better word for it. I totally hate the idea."

"Me too," the high-flying diva admitted. "Half of us are going to be exclusively on RAW, the other half on SmackDown? It's preposterous!"

The tall blond man nodded. "I know..." He thought, _No matter which show I end up on, as long as _you're_ with me, I'll be fine... _Aloud, he said,"Glen said he heard there's going to be a drafting next week on RAW. It ought to be interesting."

"'Interesting' isn't the word for it, Adam," Jay suddenly said, and the two of them glanced over at their friends, both of whom looked unhappy. "How much do you want to bet I end up on one show and Trish is on the other? C'mon now - any takers?"

"Jeez..." Adam muttered, glancing back at Amy. "And this guy used to be so optimistic all the time. I thought _I _was the pessimist between the two of us."

She swallowed hard, as feelings identical to Jay's ran through her mind as well. She couldn't help the nagging, sinking suspicion that she and her friends were going to be separated - it would figure if Vince not only split up Team Xtreme for good, but the whole group of them. The boss knew who was friends with whom. After the punishment she and the Hardys had been dealt back in December, it wouldn't surprise her.

And the thing that made her the most nervous was that she could see herself and Adam being placed on separate shows. It was so unfair. Even if he really _wasn't _her secret admirer, as much as she _wanted _him to be, it still reeked. And then, what would happen to their friendship?

Trish suddenly spoke, her voice gentle as she looked from their friends across the room back to her boyfriend.

"Listen...We're all going to still be able to see each other on our days off - no matter what happens," she said. "Jay, we're still going to be together - we'll see each other - I promise."

"But if we end up on separate shows, it's not gonna be the same, Trish...It'll _never _be the same."

The blonde diva placed a gentle hand against his face. "We have to stay strong - and positive."

The Canadian nodded, although his face still looked uncertain. "You're right, baby...you're right." He moved forward, pressing a kiss to Trish's lips, and the little blonde kissed him back eagerly.

Adam turned his head back to the redhead, whose gaze suddenly seemed riveted on the couple. He couldn't help feeling the desire to kiss her the way Jay was kissing Trish. But he didn't do it.

As Amy turned back to meet his intense gaze, the tall blond Canadian ran a hand through his hair.

"I've gotta get ready for my match," he said. "Okay, Trish...I'm gonna have to kick you out now..."

The redhead cocked her head as she watched Adam, noticing that he hadn't said he had to kick _her _out as well. It was still on her mind as Trish came over to her, and, after saying they'd see the guys later, they left.


	28. Chapter 28

Amy and Trish left their locker room quietly, each diva consumed by thoughts of the upcoming big event that would be happening the following week.

_Same time, same station, _the redhead thought sardonically. She couldn't believe they were splitting the two rosters. It was amazing how she could go from being so happy and excited about being on a TV show one minute, only to be brought crashing down so soon after by news such as that.

Stacy had gone through the table at the hands of Mark LaMonica without a hitch. It had all gone by smoothly - much to Matt's relief. The darker Hardy Boy had literally be frantic while that spot had come up. Stacy hadn't taken many bumps in her still as yet short career, and this would definitely be her first major one.

Afterward, the leggy blonde diva had returned to the backstage area with Mark and Devon, and although she wasn't hurt per se, she _did _claim to feel a bit stiff. And then, once Matt was through for the night, he and Stacy had left. The dark-haired man had promised his girlfriend he would give her a little TLC back at the hotel - and _not _the kind he, Jeff, the Dudleys and Edge and Christian had indulged in at SummerSlam 2000 or WrestleMania 17.

"Umm, Amy..." Trish suddenly spoke, distractingthe redhead from thoughts of her leggy friend. "Why don't you go on ahead without me? I want to talk to Jay alone for a little while."

Amy nodded. "Okay...I understand. See you guys later...hope Jay feels better."

"Thanks," the little blonde said, arching a brow with a tilt of her head. "Me too..."

The redhead made her way down the hall until she came to Adam and Jay's locker room. The door was already open, so she stuck her head in.

"Oh, hey, Jay - Trish wants to be alone with you for awhile, so she told me to just go on."

"Okay...Thanks, Ames," the blond man said. His long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he pulled on his black leather jacket before hefting up his bag. "See you later, guys..."

"Later, Jay," Adam said. He turned toward Amy. "I'll be ready in five minutes."

"No problem," the redhead said. "I want to see Chris for a minute, anyway...Meet me at his locker room, okay?"

"Sure."

The diva walked a little ways further down the hall and made it just in time to see Chris Jericho emerging from his locker room.

"Chris!"

The blond man looked up, and as Amy neared, she noticed that he appeared a bit agitated. Somehow, she guessed that wasn't only because of the impending roster splits. Earlier that night, Stephanie had done a spot with Triple H in which the Game suggested a special match - with special stipulations. That is, the next week on RAW, he would defend the Undisputed championship against not only Jericho, but _Stephanie _as well, in a triple-threat match. But there was a catch - if _he _pinned the brunette, Stephanie would be forced to leave the WWF.

"Hey, Ames."

"Hey...are you okay?" the redhead asked, tilting her head to one side as she regarded him.

"Steph's going to be leaving for awhile," he replied, running a hand through his long hair. His face looked sad.

"I know," Amy said, giving him a knowing look. "But she'll be back before too long. And what about the roster split?"

"It's such a stupid idea," Chris replied. "Damn it...I've really been enjoying having Steph by my side - there with me when I go to the ring..."

"Chris, you need to tell her how you feel - how you _really _feel," the redhead stressed when the blond man gave her a look. Her expression went serious and expectant as she spoke the last four words.

"You're right, Ames...you're absolutely right..."


	29. Chapter 29

_RAW, April 25, 2002_

"This going to suck big time..." Chris griped as he paced the locker room. He ran a hand through the hair on the top of his head, not mindful of the tight braid he was wearing. He stopped in his tracks to stare at the woman standing a few feet away.

Stephanie McMahon's blue gaze was fixed to a faraway spot on the floor, her head turned in his direction. She appeared to be completely lost in her thoughts - but Chris knew that what was on her mind matched what was on his - well, _almost_.

Finally, the brunette raised her gaze so that the Undisputed Champion was her focus.

"I hate all of this, too, Chris...Paul's ego is out of control - he's got Daddy wrapped around his little finger..."

"Couldn't you have at least _tried _to make a case for me?" the blond man asked, his arms spreading in a disappointed gesture.

"I...I wanted to," Stephanie admitted. "But how would it look if I protested against my boyfriend and made a plea for _you _to win tonight's match?" She shook her head.

Chris ran a hand down his face. Sometimes, this woman could be maddening.

"Look, Steph - we both know your relationship with Paul has become shit over the past couple of months..."

Surprisingly, the brunette's expression didn't falter or change to one of shock at Jericho's outspokenness. "So, what's the deal?"

"I...I'm sorry, Chris..." Stephanie edged closer to him, her eyes full of compassion - and something else the blond man was unable to read. "It's jus that...Well, you're right about what you just said about Paul and me...I..." She glanced away from his face as she continued. "I've been wanting to end it with him for real, but..." She raised her blue eyes to meet his. "I don't know _how_. Can you believe I've never broken up with anyone before?"

Chris blinked as he gazed into her lovely face. "Just _do _it," he said softly. "Make it quick, like ripping off a bandaid...Steph..."

The tall brunette winced as she raised a hand to his face, her fingers gently stroking his cheek.

"I want you to know...it's been a pleasure...working with you, spending time with you...You're a good friend, Chris - a _true _friend..."

Jericho placed his hand on hers, his crystal-blue eyes locked on the woman's. Then, without thinking, he leaned the few inches forward and pressed his lips to hers.

To his pleasant surprise, Stephanie didn't pull back - on the contrary, she welcomed his kiss and even returned it...

--

Adam and Jay were somber as they sat in their locker room.

Both men were preparing for their matches for the night, neither of them speaking much. Adam knew identical thoughts were penetrating his best friend's mind. Jay was terrified of Trish being placed on one show while he was placed on the other.

Finally, Adam couldn't take it anymore. Raking a hand through his long blond hair, he cleared his throat.

"Wouldn't it just totally suck if all the couples were split apart?"

His best friend looked up sharply. "Do you always have to be so pessimistic?"

"Me? That's more _your _style, man..." the tall Canadian retorted, and he instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry, Jay...I'm just in a real foul mood tonight..." It didn't help that he reminded himself that he and Amy were _not _a couple - well, not _really_...

"I know, man...I know," Jay replied on a sigh. "Hey, your match is up next, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you're right...I'd better get moving," Adam said, and he stood up and headed to the door.

"Good luck..."

"Thanks...I guess I'll see you back in the room..."

All the superstars had been congregated to a large back room in the arena to listen to their fate. So far, the Rock and Undertaker had been chosen - the former by Mr. McMahon for SmackDown, the latter by Ric Flair for RAW.

As Adam made his brisk way down the hall, shrugging into his trenchcoat, he had to acknowledge that he was not looking forward to the rest of the draft picks.

He had the most uncomfortable, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach...


	30. Chapter 30

Amy found herself staring at the back of Adam's blond head as she sat between Matt and Jeff to hear about the draft picks. Trish sat at Adam's left side. A bunch of them had opted to stay close to each other while waiting to hear about which ten wrestlers each Vince McMahon and Ric Flair picked for their respective shows.

She held her breath, gently biting her lip as she listened to Mr. McMahon's first choice - The Rock... She didn't care which show she ended up on, as long as she could be with Adam... She couldn't help but wonder how her tall, blond Canadian best friend felt about this...

It felt like hours and was excrutiating to have to wait to find out where everyone would be - but the two 'co-owners' paused several times to allow for matches to take place.

Amy looked up sharply, her gaze following Adam as he rose for his match for the night - she briefly caught his gaze as he walked away and then out of the room.

The moment he was gone, she turned her head to her left at the feel of Matt's hand on hers. Her dark-haired friend eyed her with concern.

"Ames, you're shaking..."

The redhead glanced down, desperate to keep herself calm.

"Hey, I'm sure everything'll work out...Don't worry..."

She nodded but didn't believe his words. Somehow, she sensed they would _all_ be split up. She knew Chris was already upset, as he and Stephanie were going to be losing their triple-threat Undisputed title match tonight - Paul Levesque would be winning via pinfall over the brunette - which, when you really got down to it, was no surprise.

She sat back in her chair and exhaled audibly. She was tired of all of this waiting and just wanted it all to be over already.

--

As Adam's match came to an end, he'd come to realize that, backstage, he'd already been chosen in the draft. Vince had picked him to be on SmackDown.

He ran a hand through his long blond hair as he made his way past the curtain and into the gorilla position. He was worried about being separated from Amy... Somehow, a little voice deep inside his head was telling him that she would be picked for RAW by Flair...

He didn't want that to happen... He didn't know how he'd handle it if it _did_ happen...

He had one more in-ring appearance to make a little later, and that was it. After attacking Kurt Angle during the Olympian's match, he was basically free for the night. He couldn't wait for it all to be over and done with...

Later, once he was through with his responsibilities, the blond Canadian returned to his locker room. He had the TV monitor on in there while he changed into his street clothes, not wanting to miss a second of the draft picks.

The two 'co-owners' were finally up to their tenth and final picks. And when Ric Flair made his final choice for RAW, Adam felt as though the bottom had fallen out of his stomach...

"I pick...Lita!"

The Canadian's mouth went ash-dry, all the blood draining from his head, and for a moment, he felt light-headed, as though he were about to faint...

He couldn't believe it... Despite the skepticism he'd felt about the two of them being chosen for the same show, Adam had grasped onto the hope that he and Amy would be _together_...

How very wrong he'd been - and it felt like he'd been punched in the stomach - hard...


	31. Chapter 31

Just about the moment after her little camera spot with the Hardyz had come to an end, Amy rose from her seat on Matt's lap and fled from the room. She heard Matt call after her but ignored him. As she rushed out of there, she also heard Jeff telling his older brother to leave her be.

The redhead ran down the arena hallway, not quite sure where she was heading, but knowing only that she needed to get away and be alone for awhile. And then, as she finally grew tired, she ducked into what appeared to be a vacant room, her tears coming fast as she mentally replayed being the tenth and final draft pick for RAW...

Her back was pressed up against the door as she began to shake with soft sobs, her tears hot and scalding. And then, suddenly, she realized something - the sound of someone else's sobs seemed to be emanating from the darkened room.

In a haste, Amy reluctantly flipped on the overhead light, surprised to see Stephanie McMahon sitting on a small loveseat several feet away, the brunette looking miserable as she wearily raised her head to meet the other woman's equally tearful eyes.

"Stephanie?" The high-flying diva inched closer to the other girl, her heart going out to her despite her own misery.

The brunette shook her head, her eyes red-rimmed as she kept them down and glued to a spot on the floor before her.

"I just came from a little meeting with my father," she began. "I already know my fate after tonight..." She raised her blue gaze and met Amy's hazel eyes. "He's taking me off of TV for the next few months!"

The redhead blinked sadly as she eyed her friend.

"Oh, Steph... I'm so sorry..." She knew how much this had to be hurting the brunette, as she knew Stephanie loved being on TV. But most importantly, not being on the shows would mean she wouldn't see Chris as much as she'd been doing the last month and a half during their storyline together. Her heart went out to the brunette.

Stephanie sniffled, raising a partially crumpled tissue cluched in her left hand and blotted at her eyes and nose.

"I haven't broken the news to Chris yet," she revealed. "I don't know how this is going to affect him."

'_I_ do...' Amy thought and sighed. This was not going to be good. She knew Chris was already in love with the young woman, so it could only crush him.

The tall brunette looked back at her and squinted slightly.

"Hey, why did you come in here to cry? You're still going to be on television..."

Amy raised a hand to her face, her tears having temporarily stopped when she'd realized she hadn't been alone in the room. She lowered her gaze sadly for a beat, then met the other diva's eyes.

"I... it's not that. I feel awful because... Well, we're gonna be on different shows now."

Stephanie prettily arched an eyebrow at her friend's words. Then, recognition setting in, she asked, "You mean you and Adam?"

"Yes... How did you know I was talking about him?"

The brunette gave a sad, sardonic little smile.

"Just a hunch... Look, Amy - take it from me and tell him how you really feel."

"What?" A look of alarm came into the redhead's face.

"It's so obvious you're in love with him," Stephanie elaborated. "I think you should tell him how you feel. Do it before it's too late." She didn't know why she'd chosen those words to use, but she didn't bother correcting herself at the same time.

The redhead sighed as she settled down to sit beside the other woman. If only she could find the strength and courage to do exactly as Stephanie suggested.


	32. Chapter 32

**_A/N: Thanks to Inday, behindURlies and caspersmom for the last few reviews! :)_**

Amy winced and slapped a hand against the back of her neck.

Things had gone from bad to worse in a very short span of time. First, the roster split in the WWE had occurred, and that was bad enough... Now, something was very seriously wrong - with _her_.

Just a few hours ago, she had finished shooting for the episode of _Dark Angel_ she was slated to appear on. To say the least, it had not gone well.

She was in pain, and she was stranded in Vancouver, Canada and was terrified. During the shoot, she'd been doing a hurricanrana on a stuntwoman, and, thanks to the girl's clumsiness, fallen and landed on her head and shoulders.

Now, the redhead was in agony. She didn't know how she'd managed to get up and stand, let alone make it back to the hotel. As a pro-wrestler, she was obviously used to aches and pains, bumps and bruises, but this time, it was different. This time, the pain was steady, and in hours, hadn't lessened.

A blur of her friends' faces rushed through her mind, but Adam's stayed freshly there as she thought of who to call first. However, she wasn't quite sure about that, as the roster split that had taken place a couple of weeks earlier had kept them apart ever since. They hadn't seen one another and had only spoken on the phone a few times. And things seemed a bit strained between them, for some reason.

Sighing heavily, Amy picked up her cell phone and dialed a number. She nearly cried when she heard the voice on the other end say 'hello.'

"Jeff... I'm in big trouble," she said, her voice shaking. "I need help!"

--

Jeff Hardy ran a hand through his rainbow-colored hair, his expression morose as he flipped his cell phone to a close. He was in shock, but he knew he had to do something.

"Jeff, we have a match in a few," Matt said as he entered the locker room. "What's with you? I waited by gorilla, but-"

"I just got a call from Amy..."

"Oh... From Canada?" the elder Hardy asked. "How's she doing?" A smile came to his lips, as he was totally clueless to the fact that something was very wrong.

"Not good..." Jeff replied. "In fact, she's hurt..."

Matt's eyes narrowed as he frowned at his brother's words.

"She saw a chiropractor, but he made it worse. She's coming back to the States ASAP and seeing a doctor."

"Oh, my God... What happened?"

The young man shook his head.

"A stuntwoman dropped her on her head," he explained in a grave voice. "She's positive that something went out of whack. She wants us to come see her as soon as she gets home."

"When will that be?" Matt asked.

"Tomorrow."

--

Adam raked a hand through his long blond hair as he sat down heavily in the locker room. He changed into his street clothes and was just putting his shoes on when Jay entered the room.

"I have something very serious to tell you," the shorter man said abruptly, and Adam looked up and noticed the serious look on his face. In fact, his best friend looked white as a sheet.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's Amy..." Jay sat down opposite him, a sadness in his face and voice alike.

The tall blond man blanched at the thought of something happening to the redhead that would cause his best friend to look and sound this way. He couldn't even utter a sound as he simply eyed the other man expectantly.

Jay ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping him as he lowered his head for a beat. Then, looking back up and meeting Adam's eyes, he spoke again.

"Something happened at the _Dark Angel_ shooting... She got hurt. Adam, she just found out her neck is broken..."


	33. Chapter 33

A cold knot of fear gripped Adam as he entered the medical facility. His heart was racing at about quadruple time as he made his way to the front desk.

"I'm here to visit a friend, Amy Dumas... She's scheduled to have neck surgery with Dr. Youngblood."

The woman flipped through a notebook, then nodded and gave him a room number and directions to the proper elevators.

The tall blond man ran a hand through his hair as he took long strides to the elevator bank. He'd spoken to Jeff earlier and had planned to meet him in the waiting room of the neurology unit at the hospital.

Amy's surgery was scheduled to take place later today. Adam couldn't believe what had happened to her - well, not that it had occurred on the set of the television show, at least. One would think if such a thing were to happen to a wrestler, it would take place in the ring.

He was lucky to have gotten a bit of time off to be with the redhead. Vince McMahon could certainly be an asshole, but the man had been nice enough to allow him a couple of days off just to see Amy. And for that, the blond man was thankful.

"Jeff!" Upon leaving the elevator, Adam immediately spotted the rainbow-haired man sitting in the waiting room. He was right there, exactly as promised.

"Hey, Adam," he replied as he stood up and started towards the Canadian. The blond man blinked in confusion at the apparent calmness of his friend. He would have thought, given the circumstances, Jeff would be a nervous wreck - much like himself.

"Where is she?"

"Easy, man," Jeff said, gesturing with both hands as though to calm the taller man down. "She's in her room. I'll take you to her."

Adam followed the younger man down a hallway, and it seemed as though they'd walked about a mile until Jeff finally made a right turn into a room.

From behind the other man, Adam could see her. She wasn't in the hospital bed but sitting in a chair up by the window, gazing out. She was, however, already clad in a hospital issue gown, but that didn't matter a damn to the blond man. What did was that, although he could see only a bit of her profile, she looked so very sad.

"Ames - visitor," Jeff said, and the redhead looked up, gingerly turning her head in their direction.

Despite the depressed expression on her face and in her eyes, the woman seemed somewhat animated as their eyes met.

"Adam?" There was a hint of surprise in her voice as she rose to meet him halfway.

"Hi," he said lamely, and forced himself to smile. As it was, he was having a difficult time keeping himself from going to pieces. He gently pulled her into a hug, terrified of coming into contact with her neck. If he put anything further out of whack or hurt her in any way, he'd never forgive himself.

The redhead held tightly to him, her eyes welling up as she glanced over at Jeff, who was still standing just beyond the doorway. The young man cleared his throat, excusing himself, and left.

Amy didn't fail to notice how very gingerly the blond man was handling her. It touched her, and she felt as though her tears were going to break free - but damn if she didn't want them to. She hated the way she was feeling - weak, and that was a trait she absolutely despised in herself. But her neck was broken. She couldn't help feeling this way.

A small sob managed to escape her, and she hated herself for it.

Adam gently pulled away just enough to gaze down into her face, concern flooding his green eyes.

"Oh, God... I... I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked.

"No," she replied. "Not at all. I just _hate_ this!" A single new tear trickled its way down her cheek, and she tasted its saltiness as it reached her lips.

"God, Ames... I..." Adam raked a hand through his long blond hair as he searched for the words to say. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

"Yeah," she said sardonically, "so am I."

His heart was thumping so hard and fast in his chest, it was uncomfortable. Just thinking about it made him feel like passing out, but that was crazy. This woman was one of his best friends, and he'd never had reason to feel at all uncomfortable around her.

"I love you..."

A small but audible gasp escaped the redhead. She simply stared at him, her eyes slightly wide.

"What?"

Well, there was no going back now... Without repeating himself, Adam dipped his head, and, with the tiniest, softest pressure he could manage, he kissed the diva on the lips.

**_A/N: Well, there's one more chapter left for this story. And there it is, Adam's admission of love to Amy - FINALLY! Hope you all enjoyed it! :)_**


	34. Chapter 34

**_A/N: Well, this is it, folks, the end of 'Nobody's Perfect.' Thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed this story! You have made this writer very happy! :)_**

Amy stared up at Adam in complete shock, her eyes still misty.

He'd kissed her... Of course, that had been after he'd told her he loved her. What...?

"You don't really mean that, Adam," she said sadly. "You're only saying that because you feel sorry for me..."

"No..." the blond man said, reaching down and gently grasping her hand in his much larger one. "I _do_ mean it... I just never got up the nerve to tell you until now."

Fresh tears spilled down the redhead's cheeks.

"But... _why_?"

"Didn't I tell you up until now, you mean? Because..." The tall Canadian released her hand and turned away, raking a hand through his hair. This time, he was too embarrassed to look at her. "Because I knew all you've ever seen me as is a friend - never anything more."

Something clicked inside the diva's head. He was being a hundred percent honest, baring his heart and soul to her.

"Oh, Adam..." She felt a sharp, heavy, loving pain in her heart.

"The truth is..." He turned back to face her, hard as it was, and forced himself not to turn away again. "... Ames, I fell in love with you a long time ago."

"Oh, Adam..." she repeated, by now beginning to sob.

"I'm sorry," the blond man said sheepishly. "The last thing you need right now is a complication in your life. I don't want our friendship to be weird now... Let's just forget about this, okay?"

She stepped a few inches closer to him.

"No..."

"Excuse me?"

Despite her tears, a small smile touched the redhead's lips.

"I said _no_... I don't want to forget about it," she elaborated, and she reached one hand out and up to place her fingers on his lips, silencing him. "Now, you listen to me, Adam Copeland... I don't know how long 'a long time ago' is to you, but the feeling is very mutual - because I love you, too."

As she moved her hand from his lips, the Canadian cocked his head, gazing at her in surprise. Somehow, it didn't seem possible for this beautiful, precious woman to be in love with him. If she hadn't been in a hospital gown, awaiting neck surgery in a hospital, he'd have thought it all a dream.

Then, slowly and carefully, Amy reached for him and pulled his head down to hers. Making certain not to move her head or neck, she pressed her lips to his, her tongue darting out shyly to explore. It made her smile when Adam kissed her back with the absolute tiniest amount of pressure, as she knew he was afraid of hurting her. But she knew he would never, ever do that. He was incapable of such a thing.

Suddenly, she was feeling somewhat better. She'd been so terribly depressed ever since her ordeal when the incident on the set of _Dark Angel_ had first happened. She'd thought of how unfair life was and that rotten things always tended to happen to good people. Basically, she'd been unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Those days were gone...

In spite of her broken neck, and the fact that she would have to miss probably more than a year of wrestling, life couldn't be any sunnier. And it was sunny because Adam Copeland loved her.

**_End_**


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